東京外国語大学
is a former governor of Yamagata Prefecture. He was first elected in 2005. A native of Yamagata, Yamagata, he joined the Bank of Japan upon graduation from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in 1981. He also received MIPP in 1989 and MA in 1990 from Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University.He was defeated for reelection in an upset by Mieko Yoshimura an Education Committee member for Yamagata Prefecture.