Itsunori Onodera

Itsunori Onodera
小野寺 五典
Official portrait, 2017
Minister of Defense
In office 3 August 2017 – 2 October 2018
Prime Minister	Shinzo Abe
Preceded by	Fumio Kishida (acting) Tomomi Inada
Succeeded by	Takeshi Iwaya
In office 26 December 2012 – 3 September 2014
Prime Minister	Shinzo Abe
Preceded by	Satoshi Morimoto
Succeeded by	Akinori Eto
Member of the House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 November 2003
Preceded by	Masamitsu Oishi
Constituency	Miyagi 6th (2003–2024) Miyagi 5th (2024–present)
In office 1 January 1997 – 3 January 2000
Preceded by	Masamitsu Oishi
Succeeded by	Fukujiro Kikuchi
Constituency	Miyagi 6th
Personal details
Born	(1960-05-05) 5 May 1960 (age 64) Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan
Political party	Liberal Democratic
Children	2
Alma mater	Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology Matsushita Institute of Government and Management University of Tokyo
Website	Official website

Itsunori Onodera (小野寺 五典, Onodera Itsunori, born May 5, 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He served as the Minister of Defense from 2012 to 2014 and again from 2017 to 2018.

Early life and education

A native of Kesennuma, Miyagi, Onodera was born on May 5, 1960.[1] He received a bachelor's degree from Tokyo University of Fisheries in 1983. He entered Matsushita Institute of Government and Management in 1990.[1] Then he studied politics at the University of Tokyo. He graduated from both and obtained his master's degree in political science in 1993.[1]

Career

Onodera joined the government of Miyagi Prefecture in April 1983.[2] He worked at Tohoku Fukushi University as special lecturer, assistant professor and guest professor from April 1994 to January 1998.[2] He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in December 1997 from Miyagi Prefecture No. 6,[2] but resigned in 2000 in the wake of an electoral donation scandal.[3] In October 2002, he became an associate professor at Tohoku Fukushi University.[2] However, he ran for the house in 2003 and was re-elected. He served as parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs for two times from 2004 to 2005. He served at and chaired different committees regarding foreign affairs, and was the head of the LDP's foreign affairs division.[4] He was appointed senior vice-minister for foreign affairs in August 2007.[2]

Shinzō Abe named Itsunori Onodera defense minister on December 26, 2012.[5] Like Abe, the majority of his government, and many predecessors as defense ministers, Onodera is affiliated with the revisionist lobby group Nippon Kaigi.[6] Onodera supports Japan having the ability to launch a first-strike attack against enemy bases.[7]

Onodera has advocated for the installation of the Aegis Ashore missile defense system in Japan, travelling to proposed installation sites in Akita Prefecture and Yamaguchi Prefecture to win local consent.[8]

Personal life

Onodera is married and has two children.[2]

References

1. "Abe Cabinet". The Japan Times. December 26, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
2. "Profile of Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs". MOFA. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
3. "EDITORIAL: Minister crossed ethical, if not legal, line with gifts of incense". Asahi Shimbun. February 2, 2018. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
4. "New defense chief Onodera well-versed in security policy". House of Japan. December 27, 2012. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
5. Eric Talmadge (December 26, 2012). "New Japan PM: Saving economic crisis top mission". Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012.
6. Sim, Walter (August 7, 2015). "Japan's defence chief a returning steady hand". The Straits Times. Like Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and predecessor Tomomi Inada, the six-term lawmaker - who is married with two sons - is openly affiliated with the influential right-wing Nippon Kaigi lobby group.
7. "Onodera vows to step up pressure on N. Korea". Yomiuri Shimbun. 6 August 2017. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
8. The Associated Press (June 23, 2018). "Japan's defence chief seeks local support to deploy a land-based missile shield". The South China Morning Post.

External links

House of Representatives (Japan)
Preceded by Fukujiro Kikuchi	Representative for Miyagi 6th district 1997–2000	Succeeded by Masamitsu Oishi
Preceded by Masamitsu Oishi	Representative for Miyagi 6th district 2003–present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Hirokazu Matsuno	Chairman of the Board of Oversight and Review of Specially Designated Secrets 2021–2023	Succeeded by Yasukazu Hamada
Preceded by Takumi Nemoto	Chairman of the Budget Committee 2023–2024	Succeeded by Tatsuya Ito
Political offices
Preceded by Satoshi Morimoto	Minister of Defence 2012–2014	Succeeded by Akinori Eto
Preceded by Fumio Kishida Acting	Minister of Defence 2017–2018	Succeeded by Takeshi Iwaya
Party political offices
Preceded by Taimei Yamaguchi	Chief of the Party Organisation and Movement Headquarters, Liberal Democratic Party 2020–2021	Succeeded by Yuko Obuchi
Preceded by Kisaburo Tokai	Chairman of the Policy Research Council, Liberal Democratic Party 2024–present	Incumbent