is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Nagahama, Shiga and graduate of Kyoto University, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs (now part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) in 1990. After an unsuccessful run 2003, he was elected for the first time in 2005. In 2010, he ran for governor of Shiga, but lost to incumbent Yukiko Kada.