Kantei

The nihongo|Sōri-daijin Kantei|総理大臣官邸, also known as the Nihongo|Sōri Kantei|総理官邸 or simply Nihongo|Kantei|官邸, is the office of the Prime Minister of Japan. It is located in the Nagatachō neighborhood of Chiyoda, Tokyo, diagonally opposite the National Diet Building.

The first Kantei was a two-story mansion, heavily influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, built in 1929 for Prime Minister Tanaka Giichi. It now serves as the Nihongo|Sōri Kōtei|総理公邸, or official residence of the Prime Minister.

The new Kantei was completed in April 2002, much larger that the first Kantei, at a total cost of approximately 70 billion yen. The first Kantei was then moved 50 meters to the south.

The word "kantei" is used in the Japanese media to refer to the Office of the Prime Minister.

External links

* [http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html Kantei website]
* [http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/vt/index.html A virtual tour of the "Kantei"]
* [http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/vt2/index.html A virtual tour of the former "Kantei"]