Mako Komuro (小室 眞子, Komuro Mako; born 23 October 1991), formerly Princess Mako of Akishino (眞子内親王, Mako Naishinnō), is…Mako Komuro (小室 眞子, Komuro Mako; born 23 October 1991), formerly Princess Mako of Akishino (眞子内親王, Mako Naishinnō), is a Japanese art historian and a former member of the Japanese imperial family. She is the eldest child of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, niece of Emperor Naruhito, and granddaughter of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and his wife, Empress Emerita Michiko. In October 2021, upon her marriage to a commoner, Princess Mako formally lost her title, as required by the Imperial Household Law.
Hotate Shinkawa (新川 帆立, Shinkawa Hotate; born (1991-02-21)February 21, 1991) is a Japanese writer, lawyer, and former…Hotate Shinkawa (新川 帆立, Shinkawa Hotate; born (1991-02-21)February 21, 1991) is a Japanese writer, lawyer, and former professional mahjong player. Her first mystery novel, My Ex-Boyfriend's Last Will and Testament, won the This Mystery is Amazing! Grand Prize and was adapted for television by Fuji TV. Her followup novel, Guardian of the Market, was also adapted for television.
Taku Nemoto (根本拓, Nemoto Taku; born 11 September 1986) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of…Taku Nemoto (根本拓, Nemoto Taku; born 11 September 1986) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2024. He is the son of Takumi Nemoto.
Taku Yamazoe (Japanese: 山添 拓; born 20 November 1984, Muko, Kyoto) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party serving…Taku Yamazoe (Japanese: 山添 拓; born 20 November 1984, Muko, Kyoto) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party serving as Senator from Tokyo, where he was elected with 10.7% of the vote in 2016. He was educated at the University of Tokyo and at Waseda Law School, in 2007 and 2010 respectively. In 2010, he passed the National Bar Examination and became a lawyer in 2011. During his time as a lawyer, he represented workers that worked at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Yamazoe is a supporter of LGBT rights.
Takashi Fujiwara (藤原崇, Fujiwara Takashi; born 2 August 1983) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party.…Takashi Fujiwara (藤原崇, Fujiwara Takashi; born 2 August 1983) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party. From 2012 to 2024, he was a member of the House of Representatives. From 2023 to 2024, he served as Director of the LDP's Youth Division.
Akira Ogawa (小川晶, Ogawa Akira; born 21 December 1982) is a Japanese politician serving as the mayor of Maebashi since…Akira Ogawa (小川晶, Ogawa Akira; born 21 December 1982) is a Japanese politician serving as the mayor of Maebashi since January 2026.
Yuji Adachi (安達悠司, Adachi Yuji; born 29 June 1982) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of…Yuji Adachi (安達悠司, Adachi Yuji; born 29 June 1982) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Councillors since 2025. He was previously a candidate for the House of Councillors in the 2022 election, and a candidate for the House of Representatives in the 2024 election.
Sayaka Sasaki (born 18 January 1981) is a Japanese politician who was a member of the House of Councillors of Japan…Sayaka Sasaki (born 18 January 1981) is a Japanese politician who was a member of the House of Councillors of Japan from 2013 to 2025.
Toshiro Ino (井野俊郎, Ino Toshiro; born 8 January 1980) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of…Toshiro Ino (井野俊郎, Ino Toshiro; born 8 January 1980) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2012. From 2010 to 2012, he was a city councillor of Isesaki.
Hidehiro Mitani (三谷英弘, Mitani Hidehiro; born 28 June 1976) is a Japanese politician. He has been a member of the House…Hidehiro Mitani (三谷英弘, Mitani Hidehiro; born 28 June 1976) is a Japanese politician. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2017, having previously served from 2012 to 2014. Until 2014, he was a member of Your Party.
Katsuo Yakura (矢倉 克夫, Yakura Katsuo; born January 11, 1975) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the…Katsuo Yakura (矢倉 克夫, Yakura Katsuo; born January 11, 1975) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan from 2013 to 2025.
Tōru Kunishige (國重 徹, Kunishige Tōru; born 23 November 1974) is a Japanese politician of the Centrist Reform Alliance…Tōru Kunishige (國重 徹, Kunishige Tōru; born 23 November 1974) is a Japanese politician of the Centrist Reform Alliance, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Shiori Yamao (山尾 志桜里, Yamao Shiori; née Kanno) is a former member of the Japanese House of Representatives for the…Shiori Yamao (山尾 志桜里, Yamao Shiori; née Kanno) is a former member of the Japanese House of Representatives for the Aichi 7th district. Yamao was a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan from 2017 to 2020. She was the policy chief of the Democratic Party and a former liberal member of the Democratic Party of Japan. She has been elected to the Japanese House of Representatives thrice. She rose to prominence by criticizing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for not handling the issue of nursery school waiting lists. Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Japanese secletary-general.
Tōru Hashimoto (橋下 徹, Hashimoto Tōru; born 29 June 1969) is a Japanese television personality, former politician, and…Tōru Hashimoto (橋下 徹, Hashimoto Tōru; born 29 June 1969) is a Japanese television personality, former politician, and lawyer. He is a former governor of Osaka Prefecture and mayor of City of Osaka. He is a founder of Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Osaka Restoration Association. He is one of Japan's leading right-wing conservative-populist politicians.
Makoto Yamashita (山下真, Yamashita Makoto; born June 1968) is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Nara…Makoto Yamashita (山下真, Yamashita Makoto; born June 1968) is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Nara Prefecture in Japan.
Takae Itō (born January 13, 1968, in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of…Takae Itō (born January 13, 1968, in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2016. She represents the Hyogo at-large district and is a member of the Komeito party.
Sakura Uchikoshi (born Sakura Muraki on January 6, 1968, in Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as…Sakura Uchikoshi (born Sakura Muraki on January 6, 1968, in Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2019. She represents the Niigata at-large district and is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. She is a member of the following committees (as of 2021): Committee on Health, Welfare and Labour Committee on Budget Special Committee on North Korean Abduction Issue and Related Matters Commission on the Constitution
Ryuichi Yoneyama (米山 隆一, Yoneyama Ryūichi; born 8 September 1967) is a Japanese politician and a former Governor of…Ryuichi Yoneyama (米山 隆一, Yoneyama Ryūichi; born 8 September 1967) is a Japanese politician and a former Governor of Niigata Prefecture. Prior to entering politics, Yoneyama worked as a radiology researcher at the University of Tokyo Hospital and was also trained as a lawyer.
Ryuichi Yoneyama (米山 隆一, Yoneyama Ryūichi; born 8 September 1967) is a Japanese politician and a former Governor of…Ryuichi Yoneyama (米山 隆一, Yoneyama Ryūichi; born 8 September 1967) is a Japanese politician and a former Governor of Niigata Prefecture. Prior to entering politics, Yoneyama worked as a radiology researcher at the University of Tokyo Hospital and was also trained as a lawyer.
Takeshi Shina (階 猛, Shina Takeshi; born 7 October 1966) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the…Takeshi Shina (階 猛, Shina Takeshi; born 7 October 1966) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Representatives since 2007. A 1991 graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was elected for the first time in 2007. Shina was born and grew up in Morioka, Iwate before attending the University of Tokyo. After he graduated, he became a banker at both the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan and the SBI Shinsei Bank. Shina first ran for office in a 2007 by-election following the resignation of his High School and University senior, Takuya Tasso, in Iwate's 1st district. He won in 2009 and was tapped to become a Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, and served through the Kan Cabinet. Following his vote against the consumption tax raise launched by the Noda Cabinet, he was suspended by the DPJ for two months but declined to leave the party, and won in 2012 despite facing a candidate handpicked by Ichiro Ozawa to defeat him, and the strong national headwinds in favor of the LDP. Following the defeat, Shina was shuffled throughout various DPJ party positions, serving as a shadow minister in the NEXT Cabinets of varying leaders. He won in 2014 again and merged with the DP in merging with Kibō no Tō, holding onto his district in 2017. He joined the DPP before leaving the party following the Iwate's branch decision to endorse a candidate from Ichiro Ozawa's Liberal Party. He joined the CDP shortly thereafter and fought attempts by the Prefectural Branch controlled by Ozawa to replace him as the candidate in Iwate's 1st, winning in 2021. He was appointed the Shadow Minister of Finance in the Next Cabinet's of Kenta Izumi and Yoshihiko Noda until September 2025. He won his district in 2026 after joining the CRA, becoming one of the "seven samurai" to do so. He ran for party president in the 2026 CRA election, losing to Junya Ogawa by five votes. He was then appointed secretary-general of the CRA.
Megumi Hirose (広瀬 めぐみ, Hirose Megumi; born June 27, 1966) is a Japanese politician and lawyer who served in the House…Megumi Hirose (広瀬 めぐみ, Hirose Megumi; born June 27, 1966) is a Japanese politician and lawyer who served in the House of Councillors for Iwate Prefecture from 2022 to 2024. She is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. She is the first LDP member to represent Iwate as a councilor since Motoo Shiina left the party in 1993.
Masahiko Shibayama (柴山 昌彦, Shibayama Masahiko; born 5 December 1965) is a Japanese politician. He is a member of the…Masahiko Shibayama (柴山 昌彦, Shibayama Masahiko; born 5 December 1965) is a Japanese politician. He is a member of the House of Representatives belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party (6th term), Deputy Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party and Chairman of the Federation of Saitama Prefecture Liberal Democratic Party. He served as Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology from October 2018 to September 2019.
Takashi Yamashita (山下 貴司, Yamashita Takashi; born 8 September 1965) is a Japanese prosecutor and politician who has…Takashi Yamashita (山下 貴司, Yamashita Takashi; born 8 September 1965) is a Japanese prosecutor and politician who has served in the House of Representatives since 2012. He was Minister of Justice from 2018 to 2019.
Masahisa Miyazaki (宮﨑政久, Miyazaki Masahisa; born 8 August 1965) is a Japanese politician. He has been a member of the…Masahisa Miyazaki (宮﨑政久, Miyazaki Masahisa; born 8 August 1965) is a Japanese politician. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2018, having previously served from 2012 to 2017. He served as chairman of the economy, trade and industry committee from 2024 to 2025.
Mikiko Otani (born November 18, 1964) is a Japanese international human rights lawyer, and women's and children's…Mikiko Otani (born November 18, 1964) is a Japanese international human rights lawyer, and women's and children's rights advocate. She has been a member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) since 2017 and served as its chairperson from May 2021 to May 2023 succeeding Ann Marie Skelton. She is the Rotating Honorary Chair in Enforcement of Children's Rights (2023/2024) at Leiden University. Otani is a trustee at 5Rights Foundation, an organisation founded by Baroness Beeban Kidron to promote the rights of the child online.
Hiroe Makiyama (牧山 弘恵, Makiyama Hiroe; born 29 September 1964) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional…Hiroe Makiyama (牧山 弘恵, Makiyama Hiroe; born 29 September 1964) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature) representing the Kanagawa at-large district. Makiyama is part of the CDP's shadow cabinet 'Next Cabinet' as the shadow Minister of Justice.
Masako Mori (森 まさこ, Mori Masako; born 22 August 1964) is a Japanese politician and lawyer who has served in the House…Masako Mori (森 まさこ, Mori Masako; born 22 August 1964) is a Japanese politician and lawyer who has served in the House of Councillors since 2007, and as Minister of Justice from October 2019 to September 2020. She is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Yukio Edano (枝野 幸男, Edano Yukio; born 31 May 1964) is a Japanese politician who served as the leader of the…Yukio Edano (枝野 幸男, Edano Yukio; born 31 May 1964) is a Japanese politician who served as the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan from its formation in 2017 until 2021. He has served in various significant political roles, including the 3rd Policy Research Council Chairperson of the former Democratic Party of Japan, the 6th Policy Research Council Chairperson of the Democratic Party, the 140th Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, the 16th Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Minister of State for the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation, the inaugural Secretary-General of the Democratic Party for the People, the inaugural leader of the former Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the inaugural leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and the Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Audit and Oversight of Administration. He was elected to parliament in the 1993 Japanese general election under the Japan New Party, and served briefly in the governments of Morihiro Hosokawa, Tsutomu Hata, Tomiichi Murayama, and the first Ryutaro Hashimoto cabinet before leaving the New Party Sakigake to join the Democratic Party in 1998. He then held various roles inside the party, and upon the group's landslide victory in the 2009 election, served roles in all three opposition cabinets. He was a major part of the response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Following the defeat of the Democratic Party in 2012, he held his seat in parliament, and joined the various opposition groups that formed around the time, including the 2016 form of the Democratic Party. With his attempt to join Kibō no Tō being blocked by Yuriko Koike's refusal to let liberal members of the former Democratic Party inside the group, he left to form the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan for liberal factions of the former party, which he led to a surprising second-place finish in the 2017 Japanese general election. Following the CDP's poor performance in the 2021 general election, Edano announced on 2 November his intention to resign as leader of the party, triggering a leadership election.
Faustin Luanga (born 15 February 1964) is a Congolese politician and career diplomat who has been Ambassador-at-large…Faustin Luanga (born 15 February 1964) is a Congolese politician and career diplomat who has been Ambassador-at-large for the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 4 June 2021.
Sohei Nihi (仁比 聡平, Nihi Sōhei; born October 16, 1963) is a Japanese politician of the Japan Communist Party, a member…Sohei Nihi (仁比 聡平, Nihi Sōhei; born October 16, 1963) is a Japanese politician of the Japan Communist Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka and graduate of Kyoto University, he was elected for the first time in 2004 after unsuccessful runs for the House of Representatives in 2000 and 2003 and for the House of Councillors in 2001.
Kwon Yeong-guk (Korean: 권영국; born 15 August 1963) is a South Korean politician and lawyer who was the nominee of the…Kwon Yeong-guk (Korean: 권영국; born 15 August 1963) is a South Korean politician and lawyer who was the nominee of the Democratic Labor Party in the 2025 South Korean presidential election.
Yasufumi Tanahashi (棚橋 泰文, Tanahashi Yasufumi; born 11 February 1963), is a Japanese politician who served as the…Yasufumi Tanahashi (棚橋 泰文, Tanahashi Yasufumi; born 11 February 1963), is a Japanese politician who served as the Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission.
Toshiharu Furukawa (古川 俊治, Furukawa Toshiharu; born 14 January 1963) is a Japanese medical doctor, attorney, and…Toshiharu Furukawa (古川 俊治, Furukawa Toshiharu; born 14 January 1963) is a Japanese medical doctor, attorney, and politician of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Kiyoshige Maekawa (前川 清成, Maekawa Kiyoshige; born December 22, 1962) is a Japanese politician and a former member of…Kiyoshige Maekawa (前川 清成, Maekawa Kiyoshige; born December 22, 1962) is a Japanese politician and a former member of both the House of Representatives and House of Councillors in the Diet. He joined the Japan Innovation Party in 2020, but had previously been a member of the Democratic Party of Japan.
Masayuki Aoyama (青山雅幸, Aoyama Masayuki; born 1962) is a Japanese attorney and politician who represented Shizuoka…Masayuki Aoyama (青山雅幸, Aoyama Masayuki; born 1962) is a Japanese attorney and politician who represented Shizuoka Prefecture in the House of Representatives from 2017 to 2021.
Masaki Kito (紀藤 正樹, Kitō Masaki; b. November 21, 1960) is a Japanese attorney at law who specializes in consumer…Masaki Kito (紀藤 正樹, Kitō Masaki; b. November 21, 1960) is a Japanese attorney at law who specializes in consumer affairs, investment frauds and cases involving religious cults, especially Aleph (formerly known as Aum Shinrikyo) and the Unification Church. He regularly appears as a commentator on Japanese TV news and current affairs programs.
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.
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.
Eriko Watanabe (born December 27, 1958) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme…Eriko Watanabe (born December 27, 1958) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan since 2021.
Kazumi Okamura (born December 23, 1957) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate justice of the Supreme…Kazumi Okamura (born December 23, 1957) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Japan since 2019.
Hiromu Kurokawa (黒川 弘務 Kurokawa Hiromu; born February 8, 1957) is a Japanese prosecutor who served as chief of the…Hiromu Kurokawa (黒川 弘務 Kurokawa Hiromu; born February 8, 1957) is a Japanese prosecutor who served as chief of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office from January 2019 to May 2020. The extension of his term of office by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in February 2020, followed by his resignation for misconduct in May 2020, sparked political controversy in Japan.
Masaru Wakasa (若狭 勝, Wakasa Masaru; born 12 December 1956) is a Japanese lawyer, politician and former member of the…Masaru Wakasa (若狭 勝, Wakasa Masaru; born 12 December 1956) is a Japanese lawyer, politician and former member of the House of Representatives in Japan.
Yoko Hayashi (林 陽子, Hayashi Yōko; born June 9, 1956) is a Japanese lawyer and partner in the Athena Law Office. She was…Yoko Hayashi (林 陽子, Hayashi Yōko; born June 9, 1956) is a Japanese lawyer and partner in the Athena Law Office. She was formerly an alternate member to the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights from 2004 to 2006. In 2008, she became a member of the Committee which monitors the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and in 2015 was serving as Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Hayashi has used her legal expertise to improve the status and protect the rights of women.
Kiyohiro Araki (荒木 清寛, Araki Kiyohiro; born June 1, 1956) is a Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a member…Kiyohiro Araki (荒木 清寛, Araki Kiyohiro; born June 1, 1956) is a Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Ena, Gifu and graduate of Soka University, he was elected for the first time in 1992.
Masaki Ota (born February 2, 1956) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of…Masaki Ota (born February 2, 1956) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan from 2021 until 2026.
Mizuho Fukushima (福島 瑞穂, Fukushima Mizuho; born 24 December 1955) is a Japanese politician and attorney. A native of…Mizuho Fukushima (福島 瑞穂, Fukushima Mizuho; born 24 December 1955) is a Japanese politician and attorney. A native of Nobeoka, Miyazaki, she has been a member of the House of Councillors since 1998, was re-elected in 2004 and 2010, and was the head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDP), from 2003 to 2013. She was elected as the leader of the party for a second time in February 2020.
Takashi Yuasa (湯浅 卓, Yuasa Takashi, born on November 24, 1955 in Tokyo) is a Japanese lawyer (admitted in Washington…Takashi Yuasa (湯浅 卓, Yuasa Takashi, born on November 24, 1955 in Tokyo) is a Japanese lawyer (admitted in Washington D.C., but not in Japan) and television personality. He belongs to the Horipro (Hori Productions) talent agency.