Kazuya Shimba
Japanese politician
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Kazuya Shimba (榛葉 賀津也, Shinba Kazuya; born 25 April 1967) is a Japanese politician, the general-secretary of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP). He is serving as a member of the House of Councillors. Known as Yuichiro Tamaki's right-hand man, he played a key role in the DPP's surge[2]
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Kazuya Shimba | |
|---|---|
榛葉 賀津也 | |
Shimba in 2023 | |
| Secretary-General of the Democratic Party For the People | |
| Assumed office 7 May 2018 | |
| Leader | Kohei Otsuka Yuichiro Tamaki Motohisa Furukawa |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Member of the House of Councillors | |
| Assumed office 29 July 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Masataka Suzuki |
| Constituency | Shizuoka at-large |
| Member of the Kikugawa Town Council | |
| In office 1994–1998 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 April 1967 Ogasa, Shizuoka, Japan |
| Party | DPP (since 2018) |
Other political affiliations | LDP (1994–2000) DPJ (2000–2016) DP (2016–2018) |
| Children | 3[1] |
| Otterbein University | |
Early life and education
Kazuya Shimba was born in Kikugawa, Shizuoka Prefecture on 25 April 1967. His father is Tatsuo Shimba, a local councilor who also served as mayor of Kikugawa.[3]
After graduating high school, Shimba went to the United States to study political science at Otterbein University in Ohio, where he earned a bachelor's degree. He also went to a university in Israel.[3]
Political career
After returning to Japan, Shimba became a Kikugawa assemblyman in 1994.[3] He ran an unsuccessful campaign in the 1998 Kikugawa mayoral election.[3]
In 2001 House of Councillors election, Shimba ran as a Democratic Party candidate in Shizuoka at-large district and got elected.[3]
His focus is on diplomacy and defense, serving as Vice Minister of Defense and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.[3]
After the dissolution of the DPJ, he joined the Democratic Party For the People and currently serves as the secretary general of the Democratic Party For the People.[3]
He is on close enough terms with Tarō Asō to lend and borrow manga with him[4], and despite being in the opposition, he maintains a relatively cooperative stance toward the Takaichi administration. Additionally, he is well known for his pro-Israel political leanings.[5]
