Toshihiro Nikai

Toshihiro Nikai (二階 俊博, Nikai Toshihiro, born 17 February 1939) is a Japanese politician. He was the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Nikai is currently serving in his eighth term in the Lower House representing Wakayama's Third District.[1]

Toshihiro Nikai
二階 俊博
Nikai in 2006
Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 4 August 2016
Leader	Shinzō Abe
Preceded by	Sadakazu Tanigaki
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
In office 2 August 2008 – 16 September 2009
Prime Minister	Yasuo Fukuda
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
Personal details
Born	(1939-02-17) 17 February 1939 Gobō, Wakayama, Japan
Political party	Liberal Democratic Party
Alma mater	Chuo University

Early Life

Nikai was born in Gobō, Wakayama Prefecture. His father was an assemblyman in the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly who had little time for his son;[2] his mother Kikue was the daughter of a physician and, unusual for that time, 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.

First election successes

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.[1] 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 1999.[1]

Party membership

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.[1]

Member of Koizumi Cabinet

In 2005, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi tapped Nikai to head the Diet committee in charge of the privatization of Japan Post. 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 Masuzoe(right)

LDP senior politician

Later, under Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Nikai was returned to the post of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry on 1 August 2008.[3] Nikai is known to have strong ties with Chinese leaders and accompanied relief supplies to Sichuan after the earthquake there in June 2008.[1] In the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso, appointed on 24 September 2008, Nikai was retained as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.[4]

Currently, Nikai has been acting as LDP Secretary General since August 2016.

Remarks

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.[5]

Kakuei Tanaka, a former Prime Minister and Shin Kanemaru, a former Deputy Prime Minister of Japan is called "Master of Nikai".[6]

References

1. Japan Times, "Fukuda's new lineup", 3 August 2008.
2. 『小説 二階俊博』、二階事務所ホームページ。
3. "Fukuda overhauls Cabinet / LDP executive shakeup also elevates Aso to party No. 2", The Yomiuri Shimbun, 2 August 2008.
4. "Aso elected premier / Announces Cabinet lineup himself; poll likely on Nov. 2", The Yomiuri Shimbun, 25 September 2008.
5. INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (12 August 2017). "【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…". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 March 2019.
6. 日本放送協会. "なぜ"二階" その存在感の理由 | 特集記事". NHK政治マガジン (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 March 2019.

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
Preceded by Jirō Kawasaki	Director-General of the Hokkaido Development Agency 1999–2000	Succeeded by Hajime Morita
Party political offices
Preceded by Yūya Niwa	Chairman of the LDP General Affairs Committee 2007–2008	Succeeded by Takashi Sasagawa
Preceded by Hiroyuki Hosoda	Chairman of the LDP Diet Affairs Committee 2006–2007	Succeeded by Tadamori Ōshima
New title New faction	Chairman 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
Preceded by Sadakazu Tanigaki	Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party 2016–	Succeeded by Incumbent
House of Representatives of Japan
New district	Representative for Wakayama's 3rd district 1996–	Incumbent
Preceded by Keijirō Shōji Takashi Hayakawa Hiroshi Ōshima	Representative for Wakayama's 2nd District (multi-member) 1983–1996 Served alongside: Minoru Noda, Riki Azuma, Kazuo Tamaki	District eliminated