# Chairperson of the Japanese Communist Party

The chairperson of the Japanese Communist Party (日本共産党委員長, Nihon kyōsantō Iin-chō) is the highest position within the Japanese Communist Party. The current chairperson is Tomoko Tamura, who took office on 10 January 2024.

## Elections

The chairperson is elected by the Central Committee of the Japanese Communist Party, which also elects other members of the executive committee including the vice-chairpersons, and the head of the secretariat.

## History

The Japanese Communist party was founded on 15 July, 1922. The original leadership position of the party was the General Affairs Chief Secretary. The first General Affairs Chief Secretary was Arakawa Katsuzō.
The party was outlawed by the Japanese government in 1923, and was not refounded until 1945 after the end of World War 2, and political reforms under the American Occupation rule. When the party was reformed, the leadership title was changed to General Secretary.
In 1970 the leadership title was changed once again, this time to Chairperson - which is the currently used title.

## List of leaders

| No. | Photo | Name (Birth–death) | Constituency / title | Term of office | Term of office | Prime Minister (term) | Prime Minister (term) |
| No. | Photo | Name (Birth–death) | Constituency / title | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister (term) | Prime Minister (term) |
| General Affairs Chief Secretary (1922–1923) ||||||||
| 1 | | Arahata Katsuzō (1887–1981) | None | 5 July 1922 | 1923 | | Katō To. 1922–1923 |
| 1 | | Arahata Katsuzō (1887–1981) | None | 5 July 1922 | 1923 | | Yamamoto 1923–1924 |
| 2 | | Sakai Toshihiko (1871–1933) | None | 1923 | 1923 | | Yamamoto 1923–1924 |
| Party outlawed by the Government ||||||||
| General Secretary (1945–1970) ||||||||
| 1 | | Kyuichi Tokuda (1894–1953) | Rep for Tokyo 2nd (1946) Tokyo 3rd (1947–1950) | 3 December 1945 | 14 October 1953 | | Shidehara 1945–1946 |
| 1 | | Kyuichi Tokuda (1894–1953) | Rep for Tokyo 2nd (1946) Tokyo 3rd (1947–1950) | 3 December 1945 | 14 October 1953 | | Yoshida 1946–1947 |
| 1 | | Kyuichi Tokuda (1894–1953) | Rep for Tokyo 2nd (1946) Tokyo 3rd (1947–1950) | 3 December 1945 | 14 October 1953 | | Katayama 1947–1948 |
| 1 | | Kyuichi Tokuda (1894–1953) | Rep for Tokyo 2nd (1946) Tokyo 3rd (1947–1950) | 3 December 1945 | 14 October 1953 | | Ashida 1948 |
| 1 | | Kyuichi Tokuda (1894–1953) | Rep for Tokyo 2nd (1946) Tokyo 3rd (1947–1950) | 3 December 1945 | 14 October 1953 | | Yoshida 1948–1954 |
| 2 | | Sanzō Nosaka (1892–1993) | Cou for Tokyo at-large (1956–1977) | 14 October 1953 | 1 August 1958 | | Yoshida 1948–1954 |
| 2 | | Sanzō Nosaka (1892–1993) | Cou for Tokyo at-large (1956–1977) | 14 October 1953 | 1 August 1958 | | Hatoyama I. 1954–1956 |
| 2 | | Sanzō Nosaka (1892–1993) | Cou for Tokyo at-large (1956–1977) | 14 October 1953 | 1 August 1958 | | Ishibashi 1956–1957 |
| 2 | | Sanzō Nosaka (1892–1993) | Cou for Tokyo at-large (1956–1977) | 14 October 1953 | 1 August 1958 | | Kishi 1957–1960 |
| 3 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | None | 1 August 1958 | 7 July 1970 | | Kishi 1957–1960 |
| 3 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | None | 1 August 1958 | 7 July 1970 | | Ikeda 1960–1964 |
| 3 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | None | 1 August 1958 | 7 July 1970 | | Satō 1964–1972 |
| Chairperson (1970–present) ||||||||
| 1 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | Cou for National PR (1977–1989) | 7 July 1970 | 31 July 1982 | | Satō 1964–1972 |
| 1 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | Cou for National PR (1977–1989) | 7 July 1970 | 31 July 1982 | | Tanaka K. 1972–1974 |
| 1 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | Cou for National PR (1977–1989) | 7 July 1970 | 31 July 1982 | | Miki 1974–1976 |
| 1 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | Cou for National PR (1977–1989) | 7 July 1970 | 31 July 1982 | | Fukuda T. 1976–1978 |
| 1 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | Cou for National PR (1977–1989) | 7 July 1970 | 31 July 1982 | | Ōhira 1978–1980 |
| 1 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | Cou for National PR (1977–1989) | 7 July 1970 | 31 July 1982 | | Ito 1980 Acting |
| 1 | | Kenji Miyamoto (1908–2007) | Cou for National PR (1977–1989) | 7 July 1970 | 31 July 1982 | | Suzuki Z. 1980–1982 |
| 2 | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th | 31 July 1982 | 29 November 1987 | | Suzuki Z. 1980–1982 |
| 2 | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th | 31 July 1982 | 29 November 1987 | | Nakasone 1982–1987 |
| 2 | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th | 31 July 1982 | 29 November 1987 | | Takeshita 1987–1989 |
| 3 | | Hiromu Murakami (1921–2007) | Rep for Osaka 3rd | 29 November 1987 | 29 May 1989 | | Takeshita 1987–1989 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Takeshita 1987–1989 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Uno 1989 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Kaifu 1989–1991 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Miyazawa 1991–1993 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Hosokawa 1993–1994 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Hata 1994 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Murayama 1994–1996 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Hashimoto 1996–1998 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Obuchi 1998–2000 |
| 4 (2) | | Tetsuzo Fuwa (born 1930) | Rep for Tokyo 6th (1969–1996) Tokyo PR block (1996–2003) | 29 May 1989 | 24 November 2000 | | Mori 2000–2001 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Mori 2000–2001 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Koizumi 2001–2006 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Abe S. 2006–2007 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Fukuda Y. 2007–2008 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Asō 2008–2009 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Hatoyama Y. 2009–2010 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Kan 2010–2011 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Noda 2011–2012 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Abe S. 2012–2020 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Suga 2020–2021 |
| 5 | | Kazuo Shii (born 1954) | Rep for Southern Kanto PR block | 24 November 2000 | 18 January 2024 | | Kishida 2021–2024 |
| 6 | | Tomoko Tamura (born 1965) | Cou for National PR | 18 January 2024 | Incumbent | | Kishida 2021–2024 |
| 6 | | Tomoko Tamura (born 1965) | Cou for National PR | 18 January 2024 | Incumbent | | Ishiba 2024–present |