In the 45th House of Representatives election in 2009, although I secured over 100,000 votes, I suffered a defeat amidst the wave of regime change. After spending three years and three months preparing for my next opportunity, I won my first seat in the 46th House of Representatives election in 2012.
The legacy of Umeko Tsuda has had a profound impact on my life. When I was in the third grade, I took on the challenge of traveling alone to visit my great-aunt in the United States, navigating connecting flights with a large backpack on my back. It was my grandmother, born in the Taisho era, who encouraged me to go. "Umeko went to America to study at the age of six. We have airplanes now, you can do it too," she told me. My grandmother was related to the Tsuda family, and her encouragement likely stemmed from a desire for me to grow up with a global perspective.
After graduating from International Christian University (ICU), I moved to the United States to deepen my study of democracy. I earned a master's degree from the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. In 2001, I witnessed the 9/11 terrorist attacks near the Pentagon, the experience that prompted me to reexamine the nature of politics during times of crisis. Upon returning to Japan, I proceeded to the doctoral program at ICU and earned a Ph.D. in Public Administration. My doctoral dissertation focused on rhetorical leadership in American politics. Transitioning from a student of politics to a researcher and instructor, I taught courses on American politics at universities, dedicating myself to educating the next generation.
I hold a trapping license and am a member of the local hunters' association. While listening to local residents’ concerns regarding damage caused by wildlife, I also witnessed the challenges posed by an aging population of hunters. Hoping to contribute in some way, I obtained my trapping license in 2014. I value the importance of promoting gibier (wild game meat) and maintaining a deep respect for the lives taken.
I wouldn't say I’m just collecting certifications. Rather, in the process of considering how to find answers to local issues and better promote the region's appeal, I realized I had acquired several qualifications along the way. In addition to my hunting (trapping) license, I became a "Vegetable Sommelier" with the hope of promoting local produce alongside wild game. In 2016, while serving as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Cabinet Office (in charge of Regional Revitalization, Finance, and Disaster Management), I responded on the ground to the Kumamoto Earthquakes as head of the Local Response Headquarters. To ensure that experience was not wasted and to apply it to future efforts, I obtained the "Disaster Prevention Specialist" certification. I also hold a "Hot Spring Sommelier" certification to better promote the quality of the hot springs in my local areas of Hakone and Yugawara.
