Beth Arakawa

**Elizabeth Marie Arakawa** (born 18 January 1980) is a Hawaiian politician and historian who has served as minister of defense in the second Kanazawa ministry since 2021. She has additionally served as a member of the House of Representatives for Oahu since 2014. She has been a member of the Green-Progressive Party since 2021.

Born to a Japanese-Hawaiian family in Aiea, Arakawa graduated from ʻAiea High School in 1998. After graduating, she moved to California and enrolled as a student at the University of California, Berkeley, receiving a degree in history in 2002. Afterwards, she returned to Hawaii and enrolled in a graduate program in Japanese history at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, receiving a master's degree in 2004, and a doctorate in 2011. After receiving her doctorate, Arakawa became a professor of Japanese history at the University of Hawaii, West Oahu. She left her academic career in 2014, in order to enter politics.

Arakawa entered politics in 2014, when she was included on the party list in Oahu for Hui Pū ʻAna in the 2014 general election. She was ultimately elected to parliament, taking her seat on 14 July 2014. As a member of parliament, Arakawa has emerged as one of the most visible members of the Hui Pū ʻAna party, and has been theorized as a potential future party chairperson or prime minister. In 2018, she was elected leader of the Hui Pū ʻAna parliamentary group. Following the formation of the Green-Progressive Party in 2021, she switched her party membership. Following the 2021 general election, Arakawa was appointed to serve as minister of defense in the second Kanazawa ministry.

## Early life and education

Arakawa was born on 18 January 1980 in Aiea to parents Richard (born 1950) and Jeanne Arakawa (née *Kobayashi*; born 1954). Both of her parents are Japanese-Hawaiian, and her family originates in the cities of Osaka, Hakodate, and Okayama. Richard worked as a high school history teacher, while Jeanne was an interior decorator. Arakawa is the eldest of three children; her younger siblings are Thomas (born 1983) and Jessica (born 1985).

Arakawa began her education in 1985, attending public schooling in Aiea. While in school, Arakawa was a gifted and athletic student, who played soccer. She began high school at ʻAiea High School in 1994, where she was an honors student and member of the girl's varsity soccer team, graduating in 1998. After graduating, Arakawa moved to California to enroll as an international student at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a history degree in 2002. In her third year of studies, Arakawa studied abroad at the University of Tokyo. She then returned to Hawaii to begin a graduate program at the University of Hawaii, Manoa in Japanese history, receiving her master's degree in 2004, and a doctorate in 2011.

## Academic career

Arakawa began her career in academia as a doctoral student, when she became a teaching assistant in the history department at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. As a teaching assistant, Arakawa primarily worked with introductory classes to history, and classes in Japanese or women's history.

After receiving her doctorate in 2011, Arakawa was hired as an adjunct professor within the history department of the University of Hawaii, West Oahu. At the university, Arakawa taught courses in Japanese history. She has published two historical books based on Japanese history: *A History of the Japanese Monarchy* (2011) and *Hōjō Masako: Nun Shogun* (2013).

## Political career

### Parliamentary career

Arakawa began her political career in 2014, when she was selected to serve as a candidate for Hui Pū ʻAna on the Oahu party list in the 2014 general election. She had previously been registered with the Hawaii National Party and was a supporter of HNP centrists such as Judy Carpenter and Cristine Hyodo Larson, but switched her party registration to Hui Pū ʻAna following its foundation by Nathalia Arruda due to her opposition towards David Chang. Arakawa was ultimately elected to parliament, and took her seat in the House of Representatives on 14 July 2014. She was reelected in the 2018 general election.

Upon taking her seat in parliament, Arakawa emerged as a chief spokesperson for the party and a "rising star" in Hawaiian politics. When Arruda announced she would be resigning as party chairperson and retiring from politics in 2017, Arakawa was cited as one of the prime contenders to succeed her along with Olivia Abe. However, she opted to support Abe's bid for the position and did not challenge her. Following the 2018 general election, Arakawa was rumored by the media to be considered for a spot in the Kanazawa ministry, but Arakawa ultimately denied having interest in serving as a minister, and instead put herself forth as a candidate for Hui Pū ʻAna parliamentary leader, a position she was ultimately elected to.

Following the formation of the Green-Progressive Party in 2021, she switched her party membership.

### Defense minister

Following the 2021 general election, Arakawa was appointed to serve as minister of defense in the second Kanazawa ministry. As defense minister, Arakawa is responsible for overseeing defense policy, military spending and budgeting, and regulation of the armed forces.

## Personal life

Arakawa began a relationship with Hawaiian attorney Greg Carlisle in 2005. They later became engaged in 2007, and married the following year. Arakawa and Carlisle have two children together: Matthew (born 2010) and Eloise (born 2012). The family resides in Ko Olina.

Arakawa is fluent in English and Japanese, but also understands "some" Hawaiian. She is a follower of Shintoism and Buddhism, much like many other Japanese people.