| Masaaki Yamazaki | |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Office: | President of the House of Councillors |
| Term Start: | 2 August 2013 |
| Term End: | 25 July 2016 |
| Predecessor: | Kenji Hirata |
| Successor: | Chūichi Date |
| Office2: | Vice President of the House of Councillors |
| Term Start2: | 26 December 2012 |
| Term End2: | 2 August 2013 |
| Predecessor2: | Hidehisa Otsuji |
| Successor2: | Azuma Koshiishi |
| Office3: | Member of House of Councillors |
| Constituency3: | Fukui at-large |
| Term Start3: | 26 July 1992 |
| Birth Date: | 24 May 1942 |
| Birth Place: | Ōno, Fukui, Japan |
| Alma Mater: | Nihon University |
is a Japanese politician who served as President of the House of Councillors from 2013 to 2016. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he has served as a member of the House of Councillors in the National Diet since 1992.
A native of Nishitani-mura in Ōno, Fukui, Yamazaki graduated the Nihon University School of Law.
He served in the city assembly of Ōno for one term since 1975 and then in the assembly of Fukui Prefecture for four terms since 1979. He was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1992.
Yamazaki also served as Parliamentary Secretary for Finance (Hashimoto Cabinet), Deputy Secretary-General of LDP, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Koizumi Cabinet), Secretary-General for the LDP in the House of Councillors.[1]
Toshiaki Yamazaki is his eldest son.
On April 21, 2014 Yamazaki sent a ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine, with a wooden sign showing "President of the House of Councillors Masaaki Yamazaki" next to the one with "Prime Minister Shinzō Abe".[2]
Like Abe, Yamazaki is in favor of the revision of the constitution.[3]
Both Yamazaki and Abe are affiliated to the openly revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi, which supports visits and tributes to this controversial shrine, and a restoration of monarchy and militarism.[4]
Yamazaki is a member of the following right-wing Diet groups:
Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (29 October 2014)[5]