Toshihiro Nikai

Japanese politician (born 1939)

Toshihiro Nikai

二階 俊博

Official portrait, 2014

Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party
In office
4 August 2016 – 1 October 2021
President| Shinzo Abe
Yoshihide Suga
Preceded by| Sadakazu Tanigaki
Succeeded by| Akira Amari
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
In office
2 August 2008 – 16 September 2009
Prime Minister| Yasuo Fukuda
Tarō Asō
Preceded by| Akira Amari
Succeeded by| Masayuki Naoshima
In office
31 October 2005 – 26 September 2006
Prime Minister| Junichiro Koizumi
Preceded by| Shōichi Nakagawa
Succeeded by| Akira Amari
Minister of Transport
In office
5 October 1999 – 4 July 2000
Prime Minister| Keizō Obuchi
Preceded by| Jirō Kawasaki
Succeeded by| Hajime Morita
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
18 December 1983 – 9 October 2024
Preceded by| Multi-member district
Succeeded by| Constituency abolished
Constituency| Wakayama 2nd (1983–1996)
Wakayama 3rd (1996–2024)
Member of the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly
In office
30 April 1975 – 29 April 1983
Constituency| Gobō City
Personal details
Born|  (1939-02-17) 17 February 1939 (age 86)
Gobō, Wakayama, Japan
Political party| Liberal Democratic (Shisuikai)
Alma mater| Chuo University

Toshihiro Nikai (二階 俊博, Nikai Toshihiro; born 17 February 1939) is a former Japanese politician for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the leader of the LDP Shisuikai faction (informally called the Nikai faction), who served as the Secretary-General of the LDP from 2016 to 2021.[1] He was previously the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. Nikai is currently retired, after thirteen terms in the Lower House representing Wakayama's Third District.[2] He is widely considered to be "Japan's most pro-China lawmaker".[3][4] He has also been criticized for misogynistic views expressed in the past, and caused controversy when he invited women to "look, but not talk" at key party meetings.[5]

On 31 October 2021, he was elected for the thirteenth time in Japan's 49th general election to the House of Representatives. At the age of 82 years and 8 months, he was the oldest winner in the election.

Also Nikai is Director of the Liberal Democratic Party’s 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo Promotion Headquarters, President of the National Travel Industry Association , and President of the Japan–China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union.

## Early life

[edit]

Nikai was born in Gobō, Wakayama Prefecture. His father was an assemblyman in the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly who had little time for his son; his mother Kikue was the daughter of a physician and, unusual for that time for a woman in Japan, was a physician herself. He initially attended Inahara Elementary School, but at the end of WWII, he transferred to Gobō Elementary School. While attending Gobō Middle School, he participated in an extracurricular debating society, where he addressed the human rights issues facing the Burakumin, citing The Broken Commandment, a novel by Tōson Shimazaki. After graduation from Wakayama Prefectural Hidaka High School, Nikai attended Chuo University in Tokyo, graduating with a law degree in 1961. He immediately entered politics, working as secretary for Saburo Endo, a Diet member from Shizuoka who was serving as the Minister of Construction.[citation needed]

## First election successes

[edit]

After Endo's death, Nikai returned to Wakayama, where he won a seat on the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly in 1975. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1983.[2] He was a member of Noboru Takeshita's faction within the Liberal Democratic Party, but left the party in 1993 to join the Japan Renewal Party (Shinseitō). As a member of the JRP, he served as Vice-Minister of Transportation under Morihiro Hosokawa in 1990.[2]

## Party membership

[edit]

He was later a member of the Liberal Party, Conservative Party, and New Conservative Party, independent parties in coalition with the LDP. As Secretary-General of the NCP and part of the governing coalition, he served as Minister of Transportation under Keizō Obuchi and Yoshirō Mori. After the NCP merged with the LDP in 2003, Nikai became an LDP member again, and was appointed Director of the General Affairs Bureau in 2004.[2]

## Member of Koizumi Cabinet

[edit]

In 2005, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi tapped Nikai to head the Diet committee in charge of the privatization of Japan Post.[citation needed] Following the general elections of that year, on 31 October, Koizumi selected Nikai to head the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, traditionally one of the most highly valued cabinet portfolios.

Nikai (left) and Abe (right) Nikai (left) and Yōichi Masuzoe (right)

## LDP senior politician

[edit]

Later, under Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Nikai was returned to the post of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry on 1 August 2008.[6] Nikai is known to have strong ties with Chinese leaders and accompanied relief supplies to Sichuan after the earthquake there in June 2008.[2] In the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso, appointed on 24 September 2008, Nikai was retained as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.[7]

Nikai was appointed LDP Secretary General by party president Shinzo Abe in August 2016. Following Abe's resignation in September 2020, the new party president Yoshihide Suga decided to retain Nikai in this role.[8]

On 25 March 2024, Nikai announced that he would not run for reelection in the next House of Representatives election after his Shisuikai faction disbanded in the wake of the 2023–2024 Japanese slush fund scandal. Nikai also assumed political responsibility for the scandal after Shisuikai failed to declare 35.26 million yen ($233,000) in revenues from ticket sales of its fundraising parties from 2017 to 2022.[9] He thus retired when the House was dissolved in October 2024.[10]

## Remarks

[edit]

Tetsuma Esaki, a former Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs is known as the second side of Nikai. Because, Nikai was a second side of Masumi Esaki, the father of Tetsuma.[11]

Kakuei Tanaka, a former Prime Minister and Shin Kanemaru, a former Deputy Prime Minister of Japan both have the coined title of "Master of Nikai".[12]

## Policy and advocacy

[edit]

He is considered to be one of the leading pro-China lawmakers,[13] and is the President of the Japan–China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union (from 2023). It has assumed the interests of the LDP in China. In the past, he has been a member of a parliamentary group that supports the Beijing Olympics, and is a politician who has had close ties with China for many years.[citation needed]

## Election history

[edit]

Election  | Age  | District  | Political party  | Number of votes  | election results

|
|
|
|
|

1983 Japanese general election | 44 | Wakayama 2nd district | LDP | 53,611 | winning
1986 Japanese general election | 47 | Wakayama 2nd district | LDP | 58,722 | winning
1990 Japanese general election | 51 | Wakayama 2nd district | LDP | 57,663 | winning
1993 Japanese general election | 54 | Wakayama 2nd district | JRP | 104,600 | winning
1996 Japanese general election | 57 | Wakayama 3rd district | NFP | 115,681 | winning
2000 Japanese general election | 61 | Wakayama 3rd district | NCP | 138,527 | winning
2003 Japanese general election | 64 | Wakayama 3rd district | NCP | 148,274 | winning
2005 Japanese general election | 66 | Wakayama 3rd district | LDP | 145,735 | winning
2009 Japanese general election | 70 | Wakayama 3rd district | LDP | 117,237 | winning
2012 Japanese general election | 73 | Wakayama 3rd district | LDP | 112,916[14] | winning
2014 Japanese general election | 75 | Wakayama 3rd district | LDP | 108,257[15] | winning
2017 Japanese general election | 78 | Wakayama 3rd district | LDP | 109,488[16] | winning
2021 Japanese general election | 82 | Wakayama 3rd district | LDP | 102,834[17] | winning
[18][19]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Johnston, Eric (15 December 2020). "Heavyweight Nikai's scandal-plagued faction ruffling feathers in Japan's LDP". The Japan Times. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
2. ^ a b c d e Japan Times, "Fukuda's new lineup", 3 August 2008.
3. ^ Ryall, Julian (18 February 2021). "Is the 'most pro-China' politician in Japan's ruling LDP losing his shine?". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
4. ^ Komori, Yoshihisa (30 January 2018). "Which Country's Interests Does Nikai's Pro-China Diplomacy Serve?". Japan Forward. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
5. ^ "Japan's LDP party invites women to 'look, not talk' at key meetings". BBC. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
6. ^ "Fukuda overhauls Cabinet / LDP executive shakeup also elevates Aso to party No. 2", The Yomiuri Shimbun, 2 August 2008.[permanent dead link]
7. ^ "Aso elected premier / Announces Cabinet lineup himself; poll likely on Nov. 2". The Yomiuri Shimbun. 25 September 2008. Archived from the original on 28 September 2008.
8. ^ "Suga reshuffles LDP leadership; likely to retain key ministers, except Kono". Japan Today. 15 September 2020. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
9. ^ "LDP's Nikai not to run in next Lower House election". NHK. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
10. ^ "与野党２０人超が引退・不出馬 自民・二階氏、立民・菅氏ら―衆院選". Jiji.com (in Japanese). Jiji Press. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
11. ^ "【３×３安倍内閣】「もしもし、アベですが…」「どちらのアベさんですか？」 入閣待機組の悲哀続く…". The Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). 12 August 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
12. ^ Tajiri, Ohu (13 June 2018). "なぜ"二階" その存在感の理由 | 特集記事". NHK (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 March 2019.
13. ^ "＜岸田氏が総裁選勝利＞「ハト派宏池会」に期待＝台湾有事・憲法改正主張には警戒感—中韓両国". Record China. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
14. ^ "２０１２年衆議院議員選挙：時事ドットコム". 時事ドットコム (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 November 2024.
15. ^ "2014衆院選 | 衆議院選挙 | 選挙アーカイブス | NHK選挙WEB". www.nhk.or.jp. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
16. ^ 日本放送協会. "2017衆院選 | 衆議院選挙 | 選挙データベース | NHK選挙WEB". www.nhk.or.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 November 2024.
17. ^ "二階俊博（小選挙区・和歌山）【衆議院選挙2021】". 読売新聞オンライン (in Japanese). 18 October 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
18. ^ "二階俊博 | 選挙結果（衆議院） | 国会議員白書". kokkai.sugawarataku.net. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
19. ^ "にかい俊博（ニカイトシヒロ）｜政治家情報｜選挙ドットコム". 選挙ドットコム (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 November 2024.

Political offices

Preceded by

Akira Amari

|  Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan
2008–2009  | Succeeded by

Masayuki Naoshima

Preceded by

Shōichi Nakagawa

|  Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan
2005–2006  | Succeeded by

Akira Amari

Preceded by

Jirō Kawasaki

|  Minister of Transport
1999–2000  | Succeeded by

Hajime Morita

Director-General of the Hokkaido Development Agency
1999–2000
Party political offices
Preceded by

Sadakazu Tanigaki

|  Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party
2016–2021  | Succeeded by

Akira Amari

Preceded by

Seiko Noda

|  Chairman of the General Council,
Liberal Democratic Party
2014–2016  | Succeeded by

Hiroyuki Hosoda

Preceded by

Bunmei Ibuki

|  Head of the Shisuikai
2013–2024  | Faction disbanded
Preceded by

Makoto Koga
(as Election Strategy Chairman)

|  Director of the Election Strategy Bureau,
Liberal Democratic Party
2009–2010  | Succeeded by

Takeo Kawamura

Preceded by

Yūya Niwa

|  Chairman of the General Council,
Liberal Democratic Party
2007–2008  | Succeeded by

Takashi Sasagawa

Preceded by

Hiroyuki Hosoda

|  Chairman of the Diet Affairs Committee,
Liberal Democratic Party
2006–2007  | Succeeded by

Tadamori Ōshima

Preceded by

Nobutaka Machimura

|  Director of the General Affairs Bureau,
Liberal Democratic Party
2004–2005  | Succeeded by

Takehiko Endo

New title

New faction

|  Head of Atarashii Nami (Nikai faction)
2003–2009  | merger with Shisuikai (Ibuki faction)
New political party |  Secretary-General of the New Conservative Party
2002–2003  | merger with Liberal Democratic Party
House of Representatives (Japan)
Preceded by

Yuji Yamamoto

|  Chairman of the Budget Committee
2013–2014  | Succeeded by

Tadamori Oshima

Preceded by

Yūichi Ichikawa

|  Chairman of the Construction Committee
1997–1998  | Succeeded by

Otohiko Endō

New district |  Representative for Wakayama 3rd district
1996–2024  | District eliminated
Preceded by

Keijirō Shōji
Takashi Hayakawa
Hiroshi Ōshima

|  Representative for Wakayama 2nd District (multi-member)
1983–1996
Served alongside: Minoru Noda, Riki Azuma, Kazuo Tamaki

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Japan

Academics|

* CiNii