People's New Party
is a Japanese politician, a member of the Initiatives from Osaka party in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Hirara, Okinawa and graduate of Chuo Gakuin University, he was elected for the first time in 1996 as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He previously joined People's New Party in 2008. Shimoji was Minister of State for Disaster Management for the final 2.5 months of the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.