Takashi Kimura (Japanese: 木村 敬, Hepburn: Kimura Takashi; born May 21, 1974) is a Japanese politician. He currently…Takashi Kimura (Japanese: 木村 敬, Hepburn: Kimura Takashi; born May 21, 1974) is a Japanese politician. He currently serves as the governor of Kumamoto Prefecture since 2024. He previously served as the vice governor of Kumamoto from 2020 to 2024.
Seiji Kihara (木原 誠二, Kihara Seiji; born 8 June 1970) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party. A former…Seiji Kihara (木原 誠二, Kihara Seiji; born 8 June 1970) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party. A former Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and former State Minister for Foreign Affairs (Third Abe Cabinet) and former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, he currently serves as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Shinji Inoue (井上 信治, Inoue Shinji; born 7 October 1969) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a…Shinji Inoue (井上 信治, Inoue Shinji; born 7 October 1969) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Kotaro Nagasaki (長崎 幸太郎, Nagasaki Kōtarō; born 18 August 1968) is a Japanese politician who has served as the governor…Kotaro Nagasaki (長崎 幸太郎, Nagasaki Kōtarō; born 18 August 1968) is a Japanese politician who has served as the governor of Yamanashi Prefecture since 2019. He formerly served as a member of the House of Representatives in the National Diet as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Tokyo and graduate of the University of Tokyo he joined the Ministry of Finance in 1991. He graduated from Cornell Law School in the United States while still in the ministry. In 2005 he left the ministry and was elected to the Diet for the first time. In 2019 he was elected governor of Yamanashi Prefecture with 49.7% of the vote in a single round.
Minoru Kiuchi (城内 実, Kiuchi Minoru; born 19 April 1965) is a Japanese politician and former Ministry of Foreign Affairs…Minoru Kiuchi (城内 実, Kiuchi Minoru; born 19 April 1965) is a Japanese politician and former Ministry of Foreign Affairs official who has served as Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy since October 2025. He is a member of the House of Representatives from Liberal Democratic Party. He has served as state minister for foreign affairs and state minister for the environment. Kiuchi is known for his close ties with Germany and his German language skills. He was a member of the Moriyama Faction until its dissolution in January 2024.
Shinji Hirai (平井 伸治, Hirai Shinji; born 17 September 1961) is a Japanese politician, the governor of Tottori Prefecture…Shinji Hirai (平井 伸治, Hirai Shinji; born 17 September 1961) is a Japanese politician, the governor of Tottori Prefecture in Japan, first elected in 2007. He graduated from the University of Tokyo with the B.L. degree in 1984 and joined the Ministry of Home Affairs upon graduation.
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.
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.
Jiro Ono (小野 次郎, Ono Jirō; born 7 August 1953) is a Japanese politician of Your Party, formerly of the Liberal…Jiro Ono (小野 次郎, Ono Jirō; born 7 August 1953) is a Japanese politician of Your Party, formerly of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors, formerly a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Hokuto, Yamanashi, and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he joined the National Police Agency in 1976, receiving a master's degree in jurisprudence from the University of Angers in France while in the agency. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in the 2005 Japanese general election. He ran in House of Councillors election in 2010 as a proportional candidate of Your Party and won.
Iwao Uruma (漆間 巌, Uruma Iwao; born 19 April 1945) is a Japanese police officer who served as Deputy Chief Cabinet…Iwao Uruma (漆間 巌, Uruma Iwao; born 19 April 1945) is a Japanese police officer who served as Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Administrative Affairs from 2008 to 2009, under Prime Minister Tarō Asō. He previously served as Commissioner General of the National Police Agency from 2004 to 2007.
Yoshiji Nogami (野上 義二, Nogami Yoshiji; born 19 June 1942) is a Japanese diplomat. He joined the Japanese ministry of…Yoshiji Nogami (野上 義二, Nogami Yoshiji; born 19 June 1942) is a Japanese diplomat. He joined the Japanese ministry of Foreign Affairs during the late 1960s. On January 30, 2002 he was dismissed from his position as Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs following disagreement with Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka over the participation of two NGOs in the conference regarding the reconstruction of Afghanistan, then held in Tokyo. From 2002 to 2004, he served as Minister at the Japanese Embassy in the United Kingdom, and from 2004 to 2008 as Japanese Ambassador to the United Kingdom. In March 2019, Nogami spoke at the Tokyo forum on the question of whether Japan is sufficiently invested in South-east Asia. He said Japan's foreign direct investment in the region is already overtaking what it spends in China.
Yoriko Kawaguchi (川口 順子, Kawaguchi Yoriko; born 14 January 1941) is a Japanese politician and former economist, who…Yoriko Kawaguchi (川口 順子, Kawaguchi Yoriko; born 14 January 1941) is a Japanese politician and former economist, who served as a Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2002 to 2004 and continued as a special advisor to then-Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for foreign affairs from 2004 to 2005. A member of Liberal Democratic Party, she previously served as a Japanese Minister of the Environment from 2000 to 2002. She was also a member of the House of Councillors for Liberal Democratic Party from 2005 to 2013. In July 2008, she was appointed co-chair of a new International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, with former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans. Currently, she is a professor at Meiji Institute for Global Affairs, Meiji University in Tokyo.
Koichi Haraguchi (原口 幸市, Haraguchi Kōichi; November 24, 1940 – October 4, 2009) was a former Japanese diplomat and the…Koichi Haraguchi (原口 幸市, Haraguchi Kōichi; November 24, 1940 – October 4, 2009) was a former Japanese diplomat and the Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Imperial Household Agency.
Kyoko Nakayama (中山 恭子, Nakayama Kyōko; born 26 January 1940) is a Japanese politician and a former leader of the Party…Kyoko Nakayama (中山 恭子, Nakayama Kyōko; born 26 January 1940) is a Japanese politician and a former leader of the Party for Japanese Kokoro. In the past she has been a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Sunrise Party of Japan and Japan Restoration Party and is serving her second term as a member of the House of Councillors (Upper House) in the Diet (national legislature). She was Special Advisor to the Prime Minister (naikaku sōri-daijin hosakan) for the North Korean abduction issue under Junichiro Koizumi, beginning in 2002. She left the post in 2004 but was reappointed by Shinzō Abe in 2006. She was appointed by Yasuo Fukuda as State Minister in charge of the Population and Gender Equality Issues on August 1, 2008.
Kōji Tanami (田波耕治, Tanami Kōji; born September 10, 1939, Tokyo) is the Governor of the Japan Bank for International…Kōji Tanami (田波耕治, Tanami Kōji; born September 10, 1939, Tokyo) is the Governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. He is a candidate to become the Governor of the Bank of Japan.
Hirohisa Fujii (Japanese: 藤井 裕久, Hepburn: Fujii Hirohisa; 24 June 1932 – 10 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who…Hirohisa Fujii (Japanese: 藤井 裕久, Hepburn: Fujii Hirohisa; 24 June 1932 – 10 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who was a member of the House of Councillors from 1977 to 1986, and of the House of Representatives from 1990 to 2012. He served two terms as Minister of Finance, and as Secretary General of the Liberal Party and the Democratic Party of Japan.
Mayumi Moriyama (森山 眞弓, Moriyama Mayumi; 7 November 1927 – 14 October 2021) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…Mayumi Moriyama (森山 眞弓, Moriyama Mayumi; 7 November 1927 – 14 October 2021) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Fumitake Kishida (Japanese: 岸田 文武, Hepburn: Kishida Fumitake; 19 August 1926 – 4 August 1992) was a Japanese…Fumitake Kishida (Japanese: 岸田 文武, Hepburn: Kishida Fumitake; 19 August 1926 – 4 August 1992) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served as member of the House of Representatives (5 terms). He was also a recipient of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. His father was Masaki Kishida, a former member of the House of Representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party and Director-General of the Securities Bureau of the Ministry of Finance. His younger brother was Shunsuke Kishida, Chairman and Advisor of Hiroshima Bank. His wife, Sumiko Iguchi, was the second daughter of Ryoji Iguchi, former president of Nitto Flour Mills. His eldest son was Fumio Kishida, a member of the House of Representatives, the 27th President of the Liberal Democratic Party, and the 100th and 101st Prime Minister of Japan. He belonged to the Kōchikai faction.
Kiichi Miyazawa (宮澤 喜一, Miyazawa Kiichi; 8 October 1919 – 28 June 2007) was a Japanese politician who served as prime…Kiichi Miyazawa (宮澤 喜一, Miyazawa Kiichi; 8 October 1919 – 28 June 2007) was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1991 to 1993. Born in Tokyo, Miyazawa graduated from Tokyo Imperial University with a law degree, and in 1942 joined the Ministry of Finance. He was first elected to the National Diet in 1953 and held a number of prominent posts, including international trade and industry minister under Eisaku Sato, foreign minister under Takeo Miki, director of the Economic Planning Agency under Takeo Fukuda, chief cabinet secretary under Yasuhiro Nakasone, and finance minister under Noboru Takeshita. Miyazawa became prime minister in 1991, but was forced to resign after the 1993 election after a failure to pass political reforms caused his Liberal Democratic Party to face its first defeat in a national election since its formation in 1955. Miyazawa later returned as finance minister from 1999 to 2001 in the cabinets of Keizō Obuchi and Yoshirō Mori.
Iichirō Hatoyama (鳩山 威一郎, Hatoyama Iichirō; November 11, 1918 – December 19, 1993) was a Japanese politician and…Iichirō Hatoyama (鳩山 威一郎, Hatoyama Iichirō; November 11, 1918 – December 19, 1993) was a Japanese politician and diplomat. Between 1976 and 1977, he served as Foreign Minister under Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda. He was the son and father of two former Prime Ministers, Ichirō and Yukio respectively.
Ichiro Yoshikuni (特別 吉國 一郎 September 2, 1916 – September 2, 2011) was a Japanese baseball executive. He served as the…Ichiro Yoshikuni (特別 吉國 一郎 September 2, 1916 – September 2, 2011) was a Japanese baseball executive. He served as the Commissioner of Baseball in Nippon Professional Baseball from 1989 to 1998. The longest-serving NPB commissioner, he is a member of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Yoshihiro Tokugawa (徳川 義寛, Tokugawa Yoshihiro; 7 November 1906 – 2 February 1996) was a Japanese political figure of…Yoshihiro Tokugawa (徳川 義寛, Tokugawa Yoshihiro; 7 November 1906 – 2 February 1996) was a Japanese political figure of the mid to late 20th century. The grandson of Tokugawa Yoshikatsu, the last lord of Owari han, he served as Grand Chamberlain of Japan from 1985 to 1988, serving as the Emperor of Japan's personal adviser. Yoshihiro was famous for saving the recording of Emperor Hirohito's surrender address from destruction by army officials who wished to continue the war during the Kyūjō Incident. He died in 1996 at the age of 89 due to respiratory failure.
Viscount Takeshi Watanabe (渡辺 武, Watanabe Takeshi; 15 February 1906 – 23 August 2010) was a Japanese bureaucrat and the…Viscount Takeshi Watanabe (渡辺 武, Watanabe Takeshi; 15 February 1906 – 23 August 2010) was a Japanese bureaucrat and the first President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He was in office from 24 November 1966 to 24 November 1972.
Toshio Irie (入江 俊郎, Irie Toshio; January 10, 1901 – July 18, 1972) was a Japanese bureaucrat and politician. Born and…Toshio Irie (入江 俊郎, Irie Toshio; January 10, 1901 – July 18, 1972) was a Japanese bureaucrat and politician. Born and raised in Tokyo, Toshio attended Tokyo University and joined the Home Affairs Ministry on graduation. He became Counselor for the Bureau of Legislation in 1927, and served in various posts there. In 1946, under Yoshida Shigeru Toshio was promoted to Director-General of the Bureau. In this role, he assisted in drafting the reforms to the post-war Constitution of Japan, and served on the Cabinet's committee for dealing with legislative problems. After the enactment of the new constitution, Toshio was appointed to the House of Peers, and two years later he was promoted to Commissioner General of the House of Representatives' Legislative Bureau. He later served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan from 1952 to 1970, the longest recorded tenure in that office. After his retirement from public office in 1971, Toshio became a lecturer at Komazawa University. He died the following year.
Etsusaburo Shiina (椎名 悦三郎, Shiina Etsusaburō; 16 January 1898 – 30 September 1979) was a career bureaucrat and…Etsusaburo Shiina (椎名 悦三郎, Shiina Etsusaburō; 16 January 1898 – 30 September 1979) was a career bureaucrat and politician. As Foreign Minister of Japan from 1964 to 1966 he played a pivotal role in diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea.
Baron Masayuki Matsuda (Japanese: 松田正之; 2 November 1892 – 2 May 1976) was a Japanese politician who was Governor of the…Baron Masayuki Matsuda (Japanese: 松田正之; 2 November 1892 – 2 May 1976) was a Japanese politician who was Governor of the South Seas Mandate from 1932 to 1933. He was a graduate of Kyoto Imperial University and a relative of politician Yoriyasu Arima.
Hiroya Ino (井野 碩哉, Ino Hiroya; December 12, 1891 – May 19, 1980) was a Japanese politician who served one term as a…Hiroya Ino (井野 碩哉, Ino Hiroya; December 12, 1891 – May 19, 1980) was a Japanese politician who served one term as a member of the Lower House of the National Diet during World War II, and three terms as a member of the House of Councillors in the postwar period. He also held cabinet-level posts three times.
Kakichi Kawarada (河原田 稼吉, Kawarada Kakichi; 13 January 1886 – 22 January 1955) was a bureaucrat and cabinet minister in…Kakichi Kawarada (河原田 稼吉, Kawarada Kakichi; 13 January 1886 – 22 January 1955) was a bureaucrat and cabinet minister in early Shōwa period Japan.
Tadaatsu Ishiguro (石黒 忠篤, Ishiguro Tadaatsu; 9 January 1884 – 10 March 1960) was a bureaucrat, politician, and cabinet…Tadaatsu Ishiguro (石黒 忠篤, Ishiguro Tadaatsu; 9 January 1884 – 10 March 1960) was a bureaucrat, politician, and cabinet minister in the government of the pre-war Empire of Japan, as well as in post-war Japan.
Shigenosuke Ushio (潮 恵之輔, Ushio Shigenosuke; 11 August 1881 – 9 January 1955) was a bureaucrat and cabinet minister in…Shigenosuke Ushio (潮 恵之輔, Ushio Shigenosuke; 11 August 1881 – 9 January 1955) was a bureaucrat and cabinet minister in early Shōwa period Japan.
Yoshiaki Hatta (八田 嘉明, Hatta Yoshiaki; 14 September 1879 – 26 April 1964), was an engineer, entrepreneur, politician…Yoshiaki Hatta (八田 嘉明, Hatta Yoshiaki; 14 September 1879 – 26 April 1964), was an engineer, entrepreneur, politician and cabinet minister in the Empire of Japan, serving as a member of the Upper House of the Diet of Japan, and five times as a cabinet minister.
Viscount Enomoto Takeaki (榎本 武揚; 5 October 1836 – 26 October 1908) was a Japanese samurai and admiral of the Tokugawa…Viscount Enomoto Takeaki (榎本 武揚; 5 October 1836 – 26 October 1908) was a Japanese samurai and admiral of the Tokugawa navy of Bakumatsu period Japan, who remained faithful to the Tokugawa shogunate and fought against the new Meiji government until the end of the Boshin War. He later served in the Meiji government as one of the founders of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
