Yoshihiro Murai (村井 嘉浩, Murai Yoshihiro; born 20 August 1960) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of…Yoshihiro Murai (村井 嘉浩, Murai Yoshihiro; born 20 August 1960) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of Miyagi Prefecture since 2005. A native of Toyonaka, Osaka and a former officer in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, he was first elected governor in 2005 after serving in the Miyagi Prefectural Assembly since 1995. In July 2017 Murai approved the online publication of a tourism promotion video that was created using 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami reconstruction funds and starred actress and gravure idol Mitsu Dan. Female members of the Miyagi Prefectural Assembly, along with members of the public, claimed that the video was sexually suggestive and demanded that it be taken down. Murai initially defended the video on the grounds that it successfully brought attention to the prefecture, but hundreds of complaints were filed in the month after publication, and he ordered the video withdrawn in August 2017.
Dai Shimamura (August 11, 1960 – August 30, 2023) was a Japanese politician who was a member of the House of…Dai Shimamura (August 11, 1960 – August 30, 2023) was a Japanese politician who was a member of the House of Councillors.
Kamon Iizumi (飯泉 嘉門, Iizumi Kamon; born 29 July 1960) is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Tokushima…Kamon Iizumi (飯泉 嘉門, Iizumi Kamon; born 29 July 1960) is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Tokushima Prefecture. A native of Ikeda, Osaka and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he worked at the Ministry of Home Affairs from 1984. Iizumi was elected as a governor of Tokushima Prefecture in 2003 and served for 5 terms. Iizumi ran for 6th term in 2023, despite LDP officials wanting him to retire. Iizumi ended up third in the elections, receiving 26% of the vote.
Masaki Doi (土井 真樹, Doi Masaki; born 7 July 1960) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in…Masaki Doi (土井 真樹, Doi Masaki; born 7 July 1960) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Kariya, Aichi and graduate of the University of Tokyo he was elected for the first time in 2005. He also passed the examination for Certified Public Accountant in 1983.
Akihiro Nishimura (西村 明宏, Nishimura Akihiro; born 16 July 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Akihiro Nishimura (西村 明宏, Nishimura Akihiro; born 16 July 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Taku Etō (Japanese: 江藤 拓, Hepburn: Etō Taku; born July 1, 1960) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of…Taku Etō (Japanese: 江藤 拓, Hepburn: Etō Taku; born July 1, 1960) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Representatives since 2003. He previously served as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and again in the Cabinet of Shigeru Ishiba.
Akira Nagatsuma (長妻 昭, Nagatsuma Akira; born 14 June 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic…Akira Nagatsuma (長妻 昭, Nagatsuma Akira; born 14 June 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), a member of House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). Nagatsuma is currently the deputy leader and the head of the Tokyo chapter of the CDP. He had served as the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in the Hatoyama and Kan administration. He came to prominence when he reported missing records of public pension plans. A native of Nerima, Tokyo and graduate of Keio University, he was elected for the first time in 2000 after unsuccessful runs in 1995 and 1996.
Akira Koike (小池 晃, Koike Akira; born 9 June 1960) is a Japanese politician and physician who is the secretary-general…Akira Koike (小池 晃, Koike Akira; born 9 June 1960) is a Japanese politician and physician who is the secretary-general and vice chair of the Japanese Communist Party. He also serves as a member of the House of Councillors for the party.
Itsunori Onodera (小野寺 五典, Onodera Itsunori; born 5 May 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…Itsunori Onodera (小野寺 五典, Onodera Itsunori; born 5 May 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He served as the Minister of Defense from 2012 to 2014 and again from 2017 to 2018.
Kiyomi Tsujimoto (辻元 清美, Tsujimoto Kiyomi; born 28 April 1960) is a Japanese politician from the Constitutional…Kiyomi Tsujimoto (辻元 清美, Tsujimoto Kiyomi; born 28 April 1960) is a Japanese politician from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and previous incarnations of Japanese center-left and social democratic parties. She is currenctly serving as a member of the House of Councillors, having previously served as a member of the House of Representatives from the 10th District of Osaka. Tsujimoto is also the current policy chief of the CDP.
Kōji Matsui (松井 孝治, Matsui Kōji; born 24 April 1960) is a Japanese politician who was elected Mayor of Kyoto in 2024.…Kōji Matsui (松井 孝治, Matsui Kōji; born 24 April 1960) is a Japanese politician who was elected Mayor of Kyoto in 2024. Matsui was a member of the House of Councillors from Kyoto at-large district between 2001 and 2013, as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan. He served as Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary in the Yukio Hatoyama Cabinet. Before entering politics Matsui was a bureaucrat in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
Hirohisa Takagi (高木 宏壽, Hirohisa Takagi; born 9 April 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…Hirohisa Takagi (高木 宏壽, Hirohisa Takagi; born 9 April 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Yoshiro Yokomine (横峯 良郎, Yokomine Yoshirō; born March 15, 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…Yoshiro Yokomine (横峯 良郎, Yokomine Yoshirō; born March 15, 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kagoshima Prefecture and high school graduate, he was elected for the first time in 2007. He is the father of professional golfer Sakura Yokomine.
Hideaki Ōmura (大村 秀章, Ōmura Hideaki; born 9 March 1960) is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Aichi…Hideaki Ōmura (大村 秀章, Ōmura Hideaki; born 9 March 1960) is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Aichi Prefecture and a former member of the House of Representatives.
Gaku Ito (born March 6, 1960, in Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House…Gaku Ito (born March 6, 1960, in Saitama Prefecture) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan from 2019 to 2025. He represented the Saitama at-large district and is a member of the Japanese Communist Party. He was defeated in the July 2025 House of Councillors election.
Yoshiki Yamashita (山下 芳生, Yamashita Yoshiki; born 27 February 1960) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of…Yoshiki Yamashita (山下 芳生, Yamashita Yoshiki; born 27 February 1960) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature), representing the Japanese Communist Party. A native of Kagawa Prefecture and graduate of Tottori University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1995 after running unsuccessfully in 1992. He lost the seat in the 2001 re-election and then ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in 2003 and 2005. In 2007, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the second time. He is known for his left-wing radicalism.
Toshiharu Todoroki (轟木 利治, Todoroki Toshiharu; born February 10, 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party…Toshiharu Todoroki (轟木 利治, Todoroki Toshiharu; born February 10, 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Mimata, Miyazaki and graduate of Chuo University, he was elected for the first time in 2007.
Tokihiro Nakamura (中村 時広, Nakamura Tokihiro; born 25 January 1960) is a Japanese politician and the current governor of…Tokihiro Nakamura (中村 時広, Nakamura Tokihiro; born 25 January 1960) is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Ehime Prefecture, located in the Shikoku region of Japan. He succeeded Moriyuki Kato in the 2010 Ehime gubernatorial election. Nakamura has previously served as the mayor of Matsuyama, the largest city in Ehime and Shikoku, from 1999 to 2010. He has also represented Ehime in the national House of Representatives from 1993 to 1996 and before that in the Ehime Prefectural Assembly from 1987 to 1990. After graduating from Keio University with a degree in law in 1982, he briefly entered Mitsubishi Corporation before commencing his political career, following in the footsteps of his father Tokio Nakamura, who also served in the House of Representatives from 1953 until 1960 and from 1963 until 1969 and then as mayor of Matsuyama from 1975 until 1991.
Satoshi Fujimaru (藤丸 敏, Fujimaru Satoshi; born 19 January 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Satoshi Fujimaru (藤丸 敏, Fujimaru Satoshi; born 19 January 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Takeshi Miyamoto (宮本 岳志, Miyamoto Takeshi) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party who served in the House of…Takeshi Miyamoto (宮本 岳志, Miyamoto Takeshi) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party who served in the House of Representatives. He is opposed to the policy that increases competitive research funds while cutting grants to post-secondary educational institutions, saying that the policy has forced some institutions to hire retired government officials.
Takako Ebata (江端 貴子, Ebata Takako) is a Japanese politician. She was a Member of the House of Representatives for…Takako Ebata (江端 貴子, Ebata Takako) is a Japanese politician. She was a Member of the House of Representatives for Tokyo's 10th district from 2009 to 2012.
Yōsuke Takagi (高木 陽介, Takagi Yōsuke; born 16 December 1959) is a Japanese politician who served in the House of…Yōsuke Takagi (高木 陽介, Takagi Yōsuke; born 16 December 1959) is a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives in the Diet as a member of the Komeito Party. A native of Ōta, Tokyo and graduate of Soka University he was elected for the first time in 1993 after working at the national newspaper Mainichi Shimbun for 7 years. He was one of the chief guests for the Andhra Pradesh state capital, Amaravati's official foundation ceremony.
Denny Tamaki (玉城 デニー, Tamaki Denī; born 13 October 1959) is a Japanese politician who served as the Governor of Okinawa…Denny Tamaki (玉城 デニー, Tamaki Denī; born 13 October 1959) is a Japanese politician who served as the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture from 2018 to 2026. Tamaki was a member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly for Okinawa City from 2002 to 2005 and became the first Amerasian member of the Japanese House of Representatives as the representative for Okinawa Prefecture's 3rd district from 2009 to 2012 and 2014 to 2018. Tamaki was elected governor as an independent in the 2018 Okinawa gubernatorial election following the untimely death of Governor Takeshi Onaga. He was re-elected again in 2022. He was defeated for re-election in 2026.
Yasuhiro Hanashi (葉梨 康弘, Hanashi Yasuhiro, born 1959) is a Japanese politician who served as the Minister of Justice…Yasuhiro Hanashi (葉梨 康弘, Hanashi Yasuhiro, born 1959) is a Japanese politician who served as the Minister of Justice from August to November 2022. He is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and has served in the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009 and again since 2012. A native of Ibaraki Prefecture and graduate of the University of Tokyo he joined the National Police Agency in 1982 becoming the director in the Juvenile Community Safety division. After leaving the agency in 1999, he was elected to public office for the first time in 2003 representing Ibaraki 3rd district, which includes the cities of Ryugasaki and Ushiku, among others. He also served as Vice Minister of Justice in 2017, and Vice Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 2020. Hanashi resigned as Justice Minister on 11 November 2022 following comments he made to a political gathering earlier in the week suggesting that the Justice Minister was a “unspectacular position” that became "a top story in daytime news programs only when stamping a seal on documents of execution." and “Serving as justice minister won't help raise much money or secure many votes”. Opposition leaders like Akira Koike of the Japanese Communist Party said that Hanashi was disrespecting the post and its responsibilities, as well as making light of the death penalty. Hasashi’ comments follow a string of highly publicized LDP scandals like the Unification Church Scandal, that deeply harmed the party’s reputation, and led Prime Minister Kishida to take a firm stance against scandal in the Party. He dismissed 4 ministers in a cabinet reshuffle to solidify this stance.
Kohei Otsuka (大塚 耕平, Ōtsuka Kōhei; 5 October 1959 – 2 March 2026) was a Japanese politician. He was a leader of the…Kohei Otsuka (大塚 耕平, Ōtsuka Kōhei; 5 October 1959 – 2 March 2026) was a Japanese politician. He was a leader of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and the Democratic Party (DP). A native of Nagoya, Aichi, he attended Waseda University and received a Ph.D. in fiscal and monetary policies and reforms. Afterwards, he worked at the Bank of Japan from 1983 to 2000 before being elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2001.
Miki Watanabe (渡邉 美樹, Watanabe Miki; born October 5, 1959) is a Japanese entrepreneur and politician. He founded the…Miki Watanabe (渡邉 美樹, Watanabe Miki; born October 5, 1959) is a Japanese entrepreneur and politician. He founded the Watami chain of izakaya restaurants and headed the company until 2011, when he resigned to run in the 2011 Tokyo gubernatorial election. Watanabe's run for the governorship of Tokyo was inspired by Michael Bloomberg's mayorship of New York City. Watanabe came in third with 16.8%, losing to incumbent governor Shintaro Ishihara.
Masashi Adachi (阿達 雅志 Adachi Masashi, b. September 27, 1959) is a Japanese politician who serves as a member of the…Masashi Adachi (阿達 雅志 Adachi Masashi, b. September 27, 1959) is a Japanese politician who serves as a member of the Senate and as a State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications.
Chizuko Takahashi (高橋 千鶴子, Takahashi Chizuko; born 16 September 1959) is a Japanese politician and a former member of…Chizuko Takahashi (高橋 千鶴子, Takahashi Chizuko; born 16 September 1959) is a Japanese politician and a former member of House of Representatives. She is a member of the Japanese Communist Party.
Kenji Katsube (born 6 September 1959, in Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the…Kenji Katsube (born 6 September 1959, in Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2019. He is one of the six representatives of the Hokkaido at-large district, and is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party.
Hideto Ōnishi (大西 秀人, Ōnishi Hideto; born 23 August 1959) is a Japanese politician and the current mayor of Takamatsu…Hideto Ōnishi (大西 秀人, Ōnishi Hideto; born 23 August 1959) is a Japanese politician and the current mayor of Takamatsu, the capital city of Kagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Shinji Tarutoko (樽床 伸二, Tarutoko Shinji; born 6 August 1959) is a Japanese politician and former member of the House of…Shinji Tarutoko (樽床 伸二, Tarutoko Shinji; born 6 August 1959) is a Japanese politician and former member of the House of Representatives.
Shinichi Yokoyama (横山 信一, Yokoyama Shin'ichi; born July 21, 1959) is a Japanese politician who is a member of the House…Shinichi Yokoyama (横山 信一, Yokoyama Shin'ichi; born July 21, 1959) is a Japanese politician who is a member of the House of Councillors of Japan.
Mitsuo Mitani (三谷 光男, Mitani Mitsuo; born 16 June 1959) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…Mitsuo Mitani (三谷 光男, Mitani Mitsuo; born 16 June 1959) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kure, Hiroshima and graduate of Osaka University, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in September 2005 after unsuccessful runs in 2003 and April 2005.
Ken Saitō (齋藤 健, Saitō Ken; born 14 June 1959) is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party who served as the Minister…Ken Saitō (齋藤 健, Saitō Ken; born 14 June 1959) is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party who served as the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry from December 2023 to October 2024. Also serving in the Japanese House of Representatives, Saito served as the Minister of Justice from November 2022 to September 2023 and was the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from August 2017 to October 2018.
Yasutada Ōno is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Councillors since 2013. He was a member of…Yasutada Ōno is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Councillors since 2013. He was a member of the Liberal Democratic Party until 2024, having resigned following an indictment during the 2023–2024 Japanese slush fund scandal.
Toshiko Abe (阿部 俊子, Abe Toshiko; born 19 May 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member…Toshiko Abe (阿部 俊子, Abe Toshiko; born 19 May 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet, since 2005.
Satsuki Katayama (née Tomonaga; 9 May 1959) is a Japanese politician serving in Japan's House of Councillors, having…Satsuki Katayama (née Tomonaga; 9 May 1959) is a Japanese politician serving in Japan's House of Councillors, having been elected in July 2010 as a candidate for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). She previously represented the Shizuoka 7th district in the House of Representatives for one term from 2005 until 2009. She has served as the first woman Minister of Finance since 21 October 2025 in the first and second Takaichi cabinet.
Takeaki Matsumoto (松本 剛明, Matsumoto Takeaki; 25 April 1959 – 27 July 2026) was a Japanese politician who served as…Takeaki Matsumoto (松本 剛明, Matsumoto Takeaki; 25 April 1959 – 27 July 2026) was a Japanese politician who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2011. A native of Tokyo and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2000 after running unsuccessfully as an independent in 1996.
Norihiko Akagi (赤城 徳彦, Akagi Norihiko; born 18 April 1959) is a Japanese former politician of the Liberal Democratic…Norihiko Akagi (赤城 徳彦, Akagi Norihiko; born 18 April 1959) is a Japanese former politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Makabe District, Ibaraki and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he worked at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 1983 to 1988. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1990. Akagi took office as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries after the suicide of his predecessor, Toshikatsu Matsuoka, in May 2007. Not even two months after being inaugurated, Akagi found himself indicted in a political funding scandal not entirely different from the one his predecessor had been embroiled in as he was alleged to have registered multi-million yen expenditures on an office which did not exist. Akagi was asked to make receipts official but refused. On 17 July he appeared at a press conference with two adhesive plasters on his face, puzzling reporters but still refusing to make receipts official. Akagi resigned as Minister on 1 August 2007, after the upper house election. Minister of the Environment, Masatoshi Wakabayashi, became concurrent Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and stayed until 27 August 2007, when Shinzō Abe announced a new cabinet. Akagi's virtual successor was Takehiko Endo appointed on 27 August.
Nobuo Kishi (岸 信夫, Kishi Nobuo; born 1 April 1959) is a Japanese politician. He sat in the House of Representatives…Nobuo Kishi (岸 信夫, Kishi Nobuo; born 1 April 1959) is a Japanese politician. He sat in the House of Representatives from 2012 to 2023 representing Yamaguchi’s 2nd District as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. From September 2020 to August 2022 he served as the Minister of Defense. He is the younger brother of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.
Hideaki Okabe (岡部 英明, Okabe Hideaki; born 31 March 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a…Hideaki Okabe (岡部 英明, Okabe Hideaki; born 31 March 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Hitachi, Ibaraki and graduate of Keio University, he was elected to the assembly of Tochigi Prefecture in 2003 and then to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005.
Hiroko Nakano (仲野 博子, Nakano Hiroko; born 3 March 1959) is a former Japanese politician who served in the House of…Hiroko Nakano (仲野 博子, Nakano Hiroko; born 3 March 1959) is a former Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan.
Izumi Miyazaki (宮﨑泉, Miyazaki Izumi; born 21 February 1959) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of…Izumi Miyazaki (宮﨑泉, Miyazaki Izumi; born 21 February 1959) is a Japanese politician who has served as governor of Wakayama Prefecture since June 2025. He previously served as superintendent of the Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education and as vice governor of Wakayama Prefecture.
Tomomi Inada (稲田 朋美, Inada Tomomi; born 20 February 1959) is a Japanese lawyer and politician serving as a member of…Tomomi Inada (稲田 朋美, Inada Tomomi; born 20 February 1959) is a Japanese lawyer and politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the 1st Fukui Prefecture since September 2005. She previously served as Minister of Defense from August 2016 to July 2017, resigning in response to a cover up scandal within the Japanese Ministry of Defense. She spent time as the Chairwoman of the Policy Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party in her fourth term as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). She is a native of Fukui Prefecture. She expresses skepticism that comfort women, forced prostitutes for Japan in World War II, were compelled to work. She also does not accept the international consensus on the number of deaths of the Nanjing Massacre. She was implicated in the 2023–2024 Japanese slush fund scandal for over failing to record over 820,000 yen, but denied any responsibility for the scandal.
Yumiko Himei (姫井 由美子, Himei Yumiko; born February 14, 1959) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…Yumiko Himei (姫井 由美子, Himei Yumiko; born February 14, 1959) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Okayama, she graduated from Okayama University with a master's degree. She was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007 after serving in the assembly of Okayama Prefecture for two terms since 1999. She was due to join a new political party, "Kaikaku Club", in 2008, but on August 28, 2008, she withdrew her membership in the new party and reaffirmed her loyalty to the Democratic Party of Japan.
Masaji Matsuyama (松山 政司, Matsuyama Masaji; born 20 January 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Masaji Matsuyama (松山 政司, Matsuyama Masaji; born 20 January 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Shiida, Fukuoka and graduate of Meiji University, he was elected for the first time in 2001.
Hiroya Ebina (蝦名 大也, Ebina Hiroya; 4 January 1959 – 7 January 2026) was a Japanese politician. He was the mayor of…Hiroya Ebina (蝦名 大也, Ebina Hiroya; 4 January 1959 – 7 January 2026) was a Japanese politician. He was the mayor of Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, from 2008 to 2024 and a member of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly from 1999 until 2008. On the evening of 7 January 2026, after returning home from a meeting, he collapsed at his home in Kushiro City and was taken to a hospital, where he died of a sudden cardiac arrest the same day. He was 67.
Takao Makino (牧野 京夫, Makino Takao; born 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who serves as…Takao Makino (牧野 京夫, Makino Takao; born 1959) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who serves as member of the House of Councillors. A graduate of Waseda University and former member of the assembly of Shizuoka Prefecture, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007.