Kōichi Hagiuda

Kōichi Hagiuda (萩生田 光一, Hagiuda Kōichi, born August 31, 1963) is a Japanese politician serving as the Chairman of the Policy Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party. He previously served as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry from October 2021 to August 2022, and was Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary from 2015 to 2016 and Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology from 2019 to 2021.

Kōichi Hagiuda
萩生田 光一
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
In office
4 October 2021  10 August 2022
Prime MinisterFumio Kishida
Preceded byHiroshi Kajiyama
Succeeded byYasutoshi Nishimura
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
In office
11 September 2019  4 October 2021
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Yoshihide Suga
Preceded byMasahiko Shibayama
Succeeded byShinsuke Suematsu
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
In office
7 October 2015  3 August 2016
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byKatsunobu Katō
Succeeded byYasutoshi Nishimura
Member of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
18 December 2012
In office
10 November 2003  21 July 2009
ConstituencyTokyo 24th district
Personal details
Born (1963-08-31) 31 August 1963
Hachiōji, Tokyo, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic Party
Alma materMeiji University

Biography

with Shinzō Abe (at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on January 28, 2017)

Born and raised in Hachiōji, Hagiuda graduated from Waseda Jitsugyo High School, and Meiji University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1987.

While still a university student, Hagiuda had become an aide to the Hachiōji city councilman Ryuichi Kurosu. In 1991, at the age of 27, Hagiuda himself was elected the Hachiōji City Council, becoming the youngest candidate ever elected to the council. Kurosu was elected to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly in 1993, but resigned in 2000 to run for Mayor of Hachiōji. Hagiuda was elected to his vacated seat in the Metropolitan Assembly. He then ran in the 2005 general election for the Liberal Democratic Party and was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time.

Hagiuda joined the Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyukai within the LDP. A conservative, he became known as one of Shinzō Abe's closest aides and personal friends. He also became close to former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. He lost his seat in the 2009 general election, but returned in the 2012 general election.[1]

Hagiuda was appointed Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary in 2015. In 2017 he was made Executive Acting Secretary General of the LDP, an exceptional appointment since it had previously only been given to former cabinet ministers. In 2019 he joined the cabinet for the first time as Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. He remained in this post under Yoshihide Suga. When Fumio Kishida became prime minister in 2021 he became Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.[2][3]

Following the assassination of Shinzo Abe, ties between Diet members and Unification Church came under scrutiny. Hagiuda was one of those alleged to have close ties to the group. An anonymous source claimed in a tabloid that Hagiuda had made regular visits to the Church in Hachioji during his time out of office from 2009 to 2012 and was "like one of the family." Hagiuda disputed these statements but admitted he had made speeches at affiliated organisations.[4]

When Kishida reshuffled the cabinet and party leadership in August 2022, Hagiuda was appointed Chairman of the Policy Research Council for the LDP.[5]

He is affiliated to the conservative organisation Nippon Kaigi.[6]

Personal life

at the Opening Ceremony of Tokyo International Film Festival (October 25, 2016)

Hagiuda is married, and has one daughter and one son. His hobbies include sports such as baseball, rugby, and golf. He also enjoys watching movies, holding movie-viewing events annually in conjunction with his personal support group, or koenkai. His personal website also lists "trying new restaurants" as a hobby, calling him a "self-proclaimed gourmet", and also mentions his frequent enjoyment of after-meal ramen.

References

  1. "Hagiuda Koichi Profile". Liberal Democratic Party. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  2. "Pro-Yasukuni parliamentary groups backing up Abe Cabinet" - Japan Press Weekly - May 27, 2007
  3. "List of Ministers". Kantei.go.jp. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  4. "萩生田光一政調会長、生稲晃子氏の選挙支援を統一教会に要請か 教会関係者は「萩生田さんは家族同然」". Yahoo News (in Japanese). 2022-08-16. Archived from the original on 2022-08-16. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
  5. "Japan's leader names new Cabinet to distance his administration from Unification Church". Los Angeles Times. 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  6. Nippon Kaigi website
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