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Four Fellows of the United States-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP) — Taro Kono, Motohisa Furukawa, Akihisa Shiozaki, and Arfiya Eri — were elected in Japan’s 51st general election for the House of Representatives, held on Sunday. The elected Fellows represent a range of political affiliations and constituencies across Japan, reflecting diverse perspectives and areas of expertise. Three are members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, while one is a member of the Democratic Party for the People. One Fellow, Yutaka Arai, a member of the Centrist Reform Coalition, was not re-elected. In addition, Keiichiro Asao, former Minister of the Environment and Minister of State for Nuclear Emergency Preparedness, who gained a seat in the House of Councillors from the Kanagawa at-large district in the 2022 election, is also a USJLP Fellow (2001, 2002)./Kono%2c%20Taro%202023%20headshot%20photo.png?width=130&height=144&name=Kono%2c%20Taro%202023%20headshot%20photo.png)
Taro Kono (USJLP Inaugural Class of 2000)
A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, Kono is a graduate of Georgetown University and will now be serving his eleventh term in the House of Representatives. He has held several senior cabinet positions, including Minister for Digital Transformation, Minister for Administrative Reform and Regulatory Reform, Minister of Defense, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, and has played a significant role in national policymaking, particularly in fiscal, administrative, and social security reform. In the most recent election, he retained his seat representing Kanagawa’s 15th district. He also served three terms as a member of the USJF Board of Trustees between 2008 and 2022./Furukawa%2c-Motohisa-2016-photo-formatted.jpg?width=130&height=144&name=Furukawa%2c-Motohisa-2016-photo-formatted.jpg)
Motohisa Furukawa (USJLP 2005, 2006)
Furukawa is a member of the Democratic Party for the People and a graduate of the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law. He is now serving his eleventh term in the House of Representatives and currently holds the position of Acting Leader of his party. Having previously served as Minister of State for Special Missions and as Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, he emphasizes policies that prioritize the perspective of everyday citizens, including initiatives centered on housing and community-based economic revitalization. He continues to represent Aichi’s 2nd district in the Diet./Shiozaki%2c%20Akihisa%202023%20headshot%20formatted.png?width=130&height=144&name=Shiozaki%2c%20Akihisa%202023%20headshot%20formatted.png)
Akihisa Shiozaki (USJLP 2010, 2011)
A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, Shiozaki is a graduate of the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law and will be serving his third term in the House of Representatives. A practicing attorney by background, he has also served as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, and as Deputy Secretary-General of his party. His policy focus includes support for small and medium-sized enterprises, regional economic revitalization, and initiatives informed by his experience in health and labor administration. He was elected from Ehime’s 1st district again..png?width=130&height=144&name=Eri%2c%20Arfiya%20(225x250).png)
Arfiya Eri (USJLP 2018, 2019)
Eri is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and a graduate of Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. She will be serving her third term in the House of Representatives and has served as Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs. In addition to her work in diplomacy, she promotes greater political participation among young people and women and brings a multicultural perspective to her political activities. She was elected from Chiba’s 5th district. She also served as a member of the USJF Board of Directors in 2024.
One incumbent fellow in the Diet was not re-elected./Arai%2c%20Yutaka%202017.jpg?width=130&height=144&name=Arai%2c%20Yutaka%202017.jpg)
Yutaka Arai (USJLP 2017, 2018)
Arai is a member of the Centrist Reform Coalition and a graduate of Waseda University’s School of Political Science and Economics. He served two terms in the House of Representatives. Drawing on his experience in the education sector, he prioritizes policies related to improving educational environments and strengthening community-based disaster preparedness, with an emphasis on issues closely connected to everyday life. He ran in Hokkaido’s 3rd district.
