Yuriko Koike
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese politician
, who was the Minister of Defense
in the Cabinet of Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe
, but resigned August 27, 2007 after only 54 days in office. She is a member of the House of Representatives of Japan
for Tokyo's 10th district.
, a wealthy Kobe
suburb, Koike went to Kōnan Girls' Junior and Senior High School for her secondary education.
Her father, Yūjirō Koike, was a foreign trade merchant who handled oil products. He was also involved in politics, supporting Shintarō Ishihara
and the Tatenokai
in 1960s, and ran for a national election
to no avail in 1969. He occasionally told Yuriko his opinion that it was essential for Japan to strengthen relations with Arab
countries in order to ensure a stable petroleum
supply lest the resource-poor Japan be thrust into war for oil again. His word encouraged her to decide to study in Egypt
to master Arabic
.
After attending the School of Sociology at Kwansei Gakuin University
in 1971 and the American University in Cairo
in 1972, Koike received a Bachelor of Arts
in Sociology
from Cairo University
in 1976. She married a Japanese student in Egypt when she was 21 years old, but divorced soon after.
's World Business Satellite, the nation-wide TV business news program from 1988 to 1992, after co-hosting Kenichi Takemura's of NTV
from 1979 to 1985.
Koike currently belongs to the Liberal Democratic Party
after she belonged to the Japan New Party
, New Frontier Party
, Liberal Party
, and New Conservative Party
. She has also served one term in the House of Councillors
. She is one of the five Vice Secretaries General of the Diet Members' Committee of , the country's largest conservative think tank
, once chaired by Taro Aso
.
A past participant in the World Economic Forum
, Koike has been considered a prime candidate to become Japan's first female prime minister. Koike is a long-time participant in the U.S.-Japan Legislative Exchange Program hosted by George Washington University
and run by Professor Henry Nau.
She previously served as the Minister of the Environment
and Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs in the Cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi
, Abe's predecessor. She has been responsible for starting the Cool Biz campaign
in Japanese political circles.
Originally representing Hyōgo Prefecture
, Koike became one of Koizumi's "assassins" in the 2005 Lower House election, and was critical of LDP members who were defiant of Koizumi's leadership. Her most recent position before becoming Minister of Defense was Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for National Security Issues in the Abe Cabinet.
Koike announced on August 24, 2007 that she intended to resign from the post, citing the Aegis classified information leak scandal as a reason. Koike later hinted that the much publicized fight she had had with Chief Cabinet Secretary
Yasuhisa Shiozaki
over a vice-minister replacement was the real reason, as the opposition would use that to oppose a bill on Japan's terrorism laws.
used the word 'glass ceiling' ... but in Japan, it isn't glass, it's an iron plate. I'm not Mrs Thatcher
, but what is needed is a strategy that advances a cause with conviction, clear policies and sympathy with the people."
In the leadership election
, held on September 22, Taro Aso
won with 351 of the 527 votes; Koike placed third with 46 votes.
, promotes administrative and budgetary reform, and insists on further advancement of the status of women in the working world. Her motto is "Check, Challenge, Change, Creative and Communication."
Having learned ecological lifestyle from her own experience of wartime austerities in Egypt, Koike actively addresses environmental issues. She received the Japan Jewelry Best Dresser Award for her success in the Cool Biz and Warm Biz campaign
. She expressed the idea of introducing carbon tax
in 2005 so that Japan might achieve the goals of the Kyoto Protocol
, but her idea has not been realized yet. In 2006, she started the "Mottainai
Furoshiki" campaign, which urges shoppers to use furoshiki
in place of plastic shopping bag
s. She is against the use of biofuel
s made from food crops. Her hope is that Japan will be a society where citizens and companies can make profits by contributing to the protection of the environment, for example through emissions trading
.
As a conservative nationalist, Koike belongs to the Diet members' league to support the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform
. She is also a member of the Diet members' group to promote Yasukuni Shrine
visits, led by Yoshinobu Shimamura
, and goes to worship the war dead at the shrine on War-End Day
, August 15, almost every year. Not being able to visit it due to an official trip to Okinawa
, she sent her proxy to worship at the shrine in 2007. She insists on developing an environment to encourage the emperor
to visit Yasukuni.
Her foreign and security policies are often regarded as hawkish. She suggested that the prime minister revise the interpretation of Article 9
of the Constitution of Japan
to enable the government to exercise the right to collective self-defense. She supports the United States' policy in the War on Terror
and opposes the Japanese government's tradition of U.N.
-centered foreign policy. During the 2008 LDP leadership election, she pledged to make Russia
return the four disputed islands
to Japan if she was elected as prime minister.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who was the Minister of Defense
Minister of Defense (Japan)
The , or , is the Cabinet of Japan member in charge of the Ministry of Defense, formerly known as the Defence Agency before 2007. The current Japanese Minister of Defense is Yasuo Ichikawa, a member of the DPJ. Yasuo Ichikawa has been the Minister of Defense since 2 September 2011...
in the Cabinet of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe
was the 90th Prime Minister of Japan, elected by a special session of the National Diet on 26 September 2006. He was Japan's youngest post–World War II prime minister and the first born after the war. Abe served as prime minister for nearly twelve months, before resigning on 12 September 2007...
, but resigned August 27, 2007 after only 54 days in office. She is a member of the House of Representatives of Japan
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...
for Tokyo's 10th district.
Early life and education
Born and raised in Ashiya, HyogoAshiya, Hyogo
is a city founded on November 10, 1940 located in Hyōgo, Japan, between the cities of Osaka and Kobe.-Demographics:As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 93,094 and the density of 5,030 persons per km². The total area is 18.47 km²...
, a wealthy Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
suburb, Koike went to Kōnan Girls' Junior and Senior High School for her secondary education.
Her father, Yūjirō Koike, was a foreign trade merchant who handled oil products. He was also involved in politics, supporting Shintarō Ishihara
Shintaro Ishihara
is a Japanese author, actor, politician and the governor of Tokyo since 1999.- Early life and artistic career :Shintarō was born in Suma-ku, Kobe. His father Kiyoshi was an employee, later a general manager, of a shipping company. Shintarō grew up in Zushi...
and the Tatenokai
Tatenokai
The Tatenokai or Shield Society was a private militia in Japan dedicated to traditional Japanese values and veneration of the Emperor. It was founded and led by the author Yukio Mishima....
in 1960s, and ran for a national election
Japanese general election, 1969
General elections were held in Japan on 27 December 1969. The result was a victory for the Liberal Democratic Party, which won 300 of the 486 seats. Voter turnout was 68.5%.-Results:...
to no avail in 1969. He occasionally told Yuriko his opinion that it was essential for Japan to strengthen relations with Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
countries in order to ensure a stable petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
supply lest the resource-poor Japan be thrust into war for oil again. His word encouraged her to decide to study in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
to master Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
.
After attending the School of Sociology at Kwansei Gakuin University
Kwansei Gakuin University
, colloquially abbreviated to , is a non-denominational Christian private and coeducational university located in Nishinomiya, Sanda, Osaka City, and Tokyo, Japan....
in 1971 and the American University in Cairo
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo is an independent, non-profit, apolitical, secular institution of higher learning located in Cairo, Egypt...
in 1972, Koike received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
from Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
in 1976. She married a Japanese student in Egypt when she was 21 years old, but divorced soon after.
Career in media
Koike anchored TV TokyoTV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
's World Business Satellite, the nation-wide TV business news program from 1988 to 1992, after co-hosting Kenichi Takemura's of NTV
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
from 1979 to 1985.
Career in politics
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
after she belonged to the Japan New Party
Japan New Party
The Japan New Party was a Japanese political party that existed briefly from 1992 to 1994. It should not be confused with the New Party Nippon founded in 2005....
, New Frontier Party
New Frontier Party
The was a Japanese political party that existed during the mid-1990s. As a merger of several small parties, the party was ideologically diverse, with its membership ranging from moderate socialists to neoliberals and conservatives...
, Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Japan)
Liberal Party is the name of different political parties in different time periods in Japan.They are:*Liberal Party of Japan , founded by Itagaki Taisuke in October 1881. The party stood for popular rights and espoused the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The main objective of the party in the...
, and New Conservative Party
New Conservative Party
The New Conservative Party is a now-defunct political party in Japan originally led by Hiroshi Kumagai. Kumagai and 3 other disgruntled Democratic Party of Japan members defected in December 2002 and merged with the Conservative Party of Japan , forming the New Conservative Party...
. She has also served one term in the House of Councillors
House of Councillors
The is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or designation of the prime minister, the House of Representatives...
. She is one of the five Vice Secretaries General of the Diet Members' Committee of , the country's largest conservative think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
, once chaired by Taro Aso
Taro Aso
was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and...
.
A past participant in the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
, Koike has been considered a prime candidate to become Japan's first female prime minister. Koike is a long-time participant in the U.S.-Japan Legislative Exchange Program hosted by George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
and run by Professor Henry Nau.
She previously served as the Minister of the Environment
Ministry of the Environment (Japan)
The ' of Japan was formed in 2001 from the sub-cabinet level Environmental Agency established in 1971. The minister is a member of the Cabinet and is chosen by the Prime Minister, usually from the Diet., the current is Goshi Hosono...
and Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs in the Cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party , he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the...
, Abe's predecessor. She has been responsible for starting the Cool Biz campaign
Cool Biz campaign
The Japanese Ministry of the Environment began advocating the Cool Biz campaign in summer 2005 as a means to help reduce electric consumption by limiting use of air conditioning...
in Japanese political circles.
Originally representing Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
, Koike became one of Koizumi's "assassins" in the 2005 Lower House election, and was critical of LDP members who were defiant of Koizumi's leadership. Her most recent position before becoming Minister of Defense was Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for National Security Issues in the Abe Cabinet.
Koike announced on August 24, 2007 that she intended to resign from the post, citing the Aegis classified information leak scandal as a reason. Koike later hinted that the much publicized fight she had had with Chief Cabinet Secretary
Chief Cabinet Secretary
__notoc__The of Japan is a Minister of State who is responsible for directing the Cabinet Secretariat. The main function of Chief Cabinet Secretary is to coordinate the policies of ministries and agencies in the executive branch...
Yasuhisa Shiozaki
Yasuhisa Shiozaki
is a Japanese politician who served as Chief Cabinet Secretary to Prime Minister Shinzō Abe until August 2007.Born in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, he was an AFS exchange student in high school, graduated with a liberal arts degree from the University of Tokyo and attended the John F. Kennedy School...
over a vice-minister replacement was the real reason, as the opposition would use that to oppose a bill on Japan's terrorism laws.
2008 LDP leadership election
On September 8, 2008, Koike launched her bid to become President of the LDP and became the first woman ever to seek the premiership in Japan's history: "I have received the enthusiastic support of my colleagues. In order to break through the deadlock facing Japanese society, I believe the country might as well have a female candidate. HillaryHillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
used the word 'glass ceiling' ... but in Japan, it isn't glass, it's an iron plate. I'm not Mrs Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, but what is needed is a strategy that advances a cause with conviction, clear policies and sympathy with the people."
In the leadership election
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election, 2008
A leadership election was held in the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan on 22 September 2008 after the incumbent party leader and Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda announced that he would resign on 1 September 2008, only 11 months after taking office on 25 September 2007 following a leadership...
, held on September 22, Taro Aso
Taro Aso
was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and...
won with 351 of the 527 votes; Koike placed third with 46 votes.
Political positions
Koike supports for economic liberalismEconomic liberalism
Economic liberalism is the ideological belief in giving all people economic freedom, and as such granting people with more basis to control their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is an economic philosophy that supports and promotes individual liberty and choice in economic matters and...
, promotes administrative and budgetary reform, and insists on further advancement of the status of women in the working world. Her motto is "Check, Challenge, Change, Creative and Communication."
Having learned ecological lifestyle from her own experience of wartime austerities in Egypt, Koike actively addresses environmental issues. She received the Japan Jewelry Best Dresser Award for her success in the Cool Biz and Warm Biz campaign
Cool Biz campaign
The Japanese Ministry of the Environment began advocating the Cool Biz campaign in summer 2005 as a means to help reduce electric consumption by limiting use of air conditioning...
. She expressed the idea of introducing carbon tax
Carbon tax
A carbon tax is an environmental tax levied on the carbon content of fuels. It is a form of carbon pricing. Carbon is present in every hydrocarbon fuel and is released as carbon dioxide when they are burnt. In contrast, non-combustion energy sources—wind, sunlight, hydropower, and nuclear—do not...
in 2005 so that Japan might achieve the goals of the Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
, but her idea has not been realized yet. In 2006, she started the "Mottainai
MOTTAINAI
is a Japanese term meaning "a sense of regret concerning waste when the intrinsic value of an object or resource is not properly utilized." The expression "Mottainai!" can be uttered alone as an exclamation when something useful, such as food or time, is wasted, meaning roughly "Oh, what a waste!"...
Furoshiki" campaign, which urges shoppers to use furoshiki
Furoshiki
Furoshiki are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that were frequently used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. Although possibly dating back as far as the Nara period, the name, meaning "bath spread", derives from the Edo period practice of using them to bundle clothes while at...
in place of plastic shopping bag
Plastic shopping bag
Plastic shopping bags, carrier bags or plastic grocery bags are a type of shopping bag made from various kinds of plastic, and are common worldwide. These bags are sometimes called single-use bags, referring to carrying items from a store to a home...
s. She is against the use of biofuel
Biofuel
Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...
s made from food crops. Her hope is that Japan will be a society where citizens and companies can make profits by contributing to the protection of the environment, for example through emissions trading
Emissions trading
Emissions trading is a market-based approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants....
.
As a conservative nationalist, Koike belongs to the Diet members' league to support the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform
Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform
is a group founded in December 1996 to promote a revisionist view of Japanese history. The group was responsible for authoring a history textbook published from Fusōsha , which was heavily criticised by China, South Korea, and many Western historians for not including full accounts of or...
. She is also a member of the Diet members' group to promote Yasukuni Shrine
Yasukuni Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is dedicated to the soldiers and others who died fighting on behalf of the Emperor of Japan. Currently, its Symbolic Registry of Divinities lists the names of over 2,466,000 enshrined men and women whose lives were dedicated to the service of...
visits, led by Yoshinobu Shimamura
Yoshinobu Shimamura
is a Japanese politician and current Leader of the Opposition.Born in Edogawa, Tokyo in Tokyo, he graduated from the Faculty of Politics & Economics at Gakushuin University in 1956 and then entered ENEOS, a Japanese oil company...
, and goes to worship the war dead at the shrine on War-End Day
Victory over Japan Day
Victory over Japan Day is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II, and subsequent anniversaries of that event...
, August 15, almost every year. Not being able to visit it due to an official trip to Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
, she sent her proxy to worship at the shrine in 2007. She insists on developing an environment to encourage the emperor
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
to visit Yasukuni.
Her foreign and security policies are often regarded as hawkish. She suggested that the prime minister revise the interpretation of Article 9
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is a clause in the National Constitution of Japan that prohibits an act of war by the state. The Constitution came into effect on May 3, 1947, immediately following World War II. In its text, the state formally renounces war as a sovereign right and bans...
of the Constitution of Japan
Constitution of Japan
The is the fundamental law of Japan. It was enacted on 3 May, 1947 as a new constitution for postwar Japan.-Outline:The constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights...
to enable the government to exercise the right to collective self-defense. She supports the United States' policy in the War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
and opposes the Japanese government's tradition of U.N.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
-centered foreign policy. During the 2008 LDP leadership election, she pledged to make Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
return the four disputed islands
Kuril Islands dispute
The Kuril Islands dispute , also known as the , is a dispute between Japan and Russia over sovereignty over the South Kuril Islands. The disputed islands, which were occupied by Soviet forces during the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation at the end of World War II, are under Russian...
to Japan if she was elected as prime minister.
Timeline
- 1977 - Interpreter and Translator of Arabic, Secretary General of the Japan-Arab Association.
- 1978 - Interviewer and Coordinator for the Nippon TVNippon Televisionis a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
Special "Colonel Qaddafi and Yasser Arafat" - 1979 - News presenter for Nippon TV's Daily Program "Current Issues"
- 1988-1989 - News presenter for TV TokyoTV Tokyois a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
's Financial and Business Programs "World Business Satellite" and "Top Business Executives" - 1990 - Secretary General of the Japan-Arab Association.
- 1992 - Elected to the House of CouncillorsHouse of CouncillorsThe is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or designation of the prime minister, the House of Representatives...
from the Japan New PartyJapan New PartyThe Japan New Party was a Japanese political party that existed briefly from 1992 to 1994. It should not be confused with the New Party Nippon founded in 2005....
. - 1993 - Elected to the House of Representatives from Hyōgo PrefectureHyogo Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
's Second District, Vice-Minister of the Management and Coordination Agency. - 1994 - Vice-President of the Japan New Party, founding member of the New Frontier PartyNew Frontier PartyThe was a Japanese political party that existed during the mid-1990s. As a merger of several small parties, the party was ideologically diverse, with its membership ranging from moderate socialists to neoliberals and conservatives...
. - 1995 - Assistant to the Secretary General of the New Frontier Party.
- 1996 - Director of the Public Relations Bureau of the New Frontier Party, re-elected to the House of Representatives from Hyōgo Prefecture's Sixth District.
- 1997 - Chair of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives
- 1998 - Founding Member of the Liberal PartyLiberal Party (Japan, 1998)The was a Japanese liberal party formed in 1998 by Ichirō Ozawa and Hirohisa Fujii. It is now defunct, having joined the Democratic Party of Japan in 2003....
, member of the Standing Committee on Trade and Industry of the House of Representatives, Director of the Standing Committee on Finance of the House of Representatives. - 1999 - Member of the Committee on Public Relations of the Liberal Party, State Secretary for the Economic Planning Chair of the Liberal Party.
- 2000 - Member of the Standing Committee on Finance and the Standing Committee on Health and Welfare of the House of Representatives, Vice-Chair of the New Conservative Party Policy Planning Committee, and re-elected to the House of Representatives from Hyōgo Prefecture's Sixth District.
- 2003 - Minister of the Environment, Minister in Charge of Global Environmental Problems (Second Koizumi Cabinet), re-elected to the House of Representatives, Minister of the Environment and Minister in Charge of Global Environmental Problems (Second Reshuffled First Koizumi Cabinet), and member of the Committee on Economy, Trade and Industry and the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives.
- 2004 - Minister of the Environment, Minister in Charge of Global Environmental Problems, and Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs (Reshuffled Second Koizumi Cabinet).
- 2005 - Minister of the Environment, Minister in Charge of Global Environmental Problems, and Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs (Third Koizumi Cabinet and reshuffled Third Koizumi Cabinet). Re-elected to the House of Representatives.
- 2006 - Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for National Security Affairs (First Abe Cabinet).
- 2007 - Minister of DefenseMinister of Defense (Japan)The , or , is the Cabinet of Japan member in charge of the Ministry of Defense, formerly known as the Defence Agency before 2007. The current Japanese Minister of Defense is Yasuo Ichikawa, a member of the DPJ. Yasuo Ichikawa has been the Minister of Defense since 2 September 2011...
(First Abe Cabinet). Left office after only 54 days in office.