Kenji Yamaoka (山岡 賢次, Yamaoka Kenji, born April 25, 1943) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), who served as a member of the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Kenji Yamaoka | |
|---|---|
山岡 賢次 | |
 Yamaoka in 2011 | |
| Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission | |
| In office 2 September 2011 – 13 January 2012 | |
| Prime Minister | Yoshihiko Noda |
| Preceded by | Kansei Nakano |
| Succeeded by | Jin Matsubara |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 25 June 2000 – 16 November 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | Tsutomu Sato |
| Constituency | Northern Kanto PR (2000–2009) Tochigi 4th (2009–2012) |
| In office 18 July 1993 – 27 September 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Constituency | Tochigi 2nd |
| Member of the House of Councillors | |
| In office 10 July 1983 – 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Multi-member district |
| Constituency | National PR |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 April 1943 Tochigi Prefecture, Japan |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations | LDP (before 1993) JRP (1993–1994) NFP (1994–1998) LP (1998–2003) DPJ (2003–2012) PLF (2012) TPJ (2012–2013) PLP (2013–2019) |
| Alma mater | Keio University |
Overview
edit
A native of Oyama, Tochigi and graduate of Keio University, he was elected to the first of two terms in the House of Councillors in 1983 and then to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1993. After losing his seat in 1996 as a member of the New Frontier Party, he was re-elected in 2000 as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He later joined the DPJ. He married the daughter of writer Sōhachi Yamaoka and was adopted into the family.[1]
In September 2011 he was appointed as chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety and Minister for the Abduction Issue. in the cabinet of newly appointed Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.[2][3]
In December 2011 he was the subject of a censure motion from the opposition LDP for failing to declare receiving ¥450,000 from a health food company allegedly involved in a pyramid scheme in 2008, and ¥2.54 million from other organizations involved in pyramid schemes between 2005 and 2008. As consumer affairs chief he was responsible for the Consumer Affairs Agency, which among other things is responsible for protecting consumers against pyramid schemes. Yamaoka said he has returned all the money to the donors.[4] In the cabinet reshuffle of January 13, 2012 he was replaced in both of his cabinet roles by Jin Matsubara.[5]
Notes
edit- ^ ギネス記録を持つ"元祖・国民作家"山岡荘八 [Shohachi Yamaoka, the "original national author" with a Guinness World Record] (in Japanese). BUNGEISHUNJU LTD. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Japan Times, "Cabinet Profiles: Noda Cabinet Archived 2013-01-17 at the Wayback Machine", 3 September 2011, p. 3.
- ^ Fukue, Natsuko, "Despite pyramid sales donations, new consumer chief vows to run tight ship", Japan Times, 16 September 2011, p. 3.
- ^ The Japan Times Upper House censures ministers - Ichikawa, Yamaoka censured in Diet December 10, 2011 Retrieved on August 16, 2012
- ^ The Japan Times New Noda Cabinet on tax push January 14, 2012 Retrieved on August 16, 2012
References
edit- 政治家情報 〜山岡 賢次〜 [Politician Information ~Kenji Yamaoka~] (in Japanese). JANJAN. Archived from the original on 2007-12-03. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
External links
edit- Official website in Japanese.
 | This article about a Japanese politician born in the 1940s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |