Kazuo Kitagawa
Japanese politician
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Kazuo Kitagawa (北側 一雄, Kitagawa Kazuo; born 2 March 1953) is a retired Japanese politician who served as the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in the cabinet of Junichiro Koizumi.[1]
Kazuo Kitagawa | |
|---|---|
北側一雄 | |
Kitagawa in 2022 | |
| Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | |
| In office 27 September 2004 – 26 September 2006 | |
| Prime Minister | Junichiro Koizumi |
| Preceded by | Nobuteru Ishihara |
| Succeeded by | Tetsuzo Fuyushiba |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 17 December 2012 – 9 October 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Hiroyuki Moriyama |
| Succeeded by | Masaki Kuroda |
| Constituency | Osaka 16th |
| In office 19 February 1990 – 21 July 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Yoshiaki Masaki |
| Succeeded by | Hiroyuki Moriyama |
| Constituency | Osaka 5th (1990–1996) Osaka 16th (1996–2009) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 March 1953 Ikuno, Osaka, Japan |
| Party | Komeito |
Other political affiliations | CGP (1990–1994) NFP (1994–1998) |
| Parent |
|
| Alma mater | Sōka University |
Biography
Born in Ikuno-ku, Osaka, Kitagawa graduated from Faculty of Law at Sōka University and became a lawyer. In 1990, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time and was appointed as the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2004.[1]
He was the secretary general of Komeito when the party suffered a major defeat in the 2009 Japanese general election. Komeito lost ten seats, including Kitagawa's and that of party leader Akihiro Ota. On 8 September 2009 Yoshihisa Inoue replaced Kitagawa as secretary general of Komeito.[2] Notwithstanding the loss of his seat, Kitagawa became deputy president of the party.
Kitagawa regained his seat representing the Osaka 16th district (representing Sakai-ku, Higashi-ku and Kita-ku in Sakai City) in the 2012 general election, and held the seat in the 2014 general election. On 9 October 2024, he announced his retirement from politics and would not run in the 2024 general election.[3]