Seiji Maehara
Seiji Maehara | |
|---|---|
前原 誠司 | |
Maehara in 2023 | |
| Co-leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai | |
| Assumed office 1 December 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Ichirō Matsui (2021–2022) |
| Leader of Free Education for All | |
| In office 30 November 2023 – 3 October 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| President of the Democratic Party | |
| In office 1 September 2017 – 1 November 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Renhō |
| Succeeded by | Kohei Otsuka |
| President of the Democratic Party of Japan | |
| In office 17 September 2005 – 7 April 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Katsuya Okada |
| Succeeded by | Ichirō Ozawa |
| Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy | |
| In office 1 October 2012 – 26 December 2012 | |
| Prime Minister | Yoshihiko Noda |
| Preceded by | Motohisa Furukawa |
| Succeeded by | Akira Amari |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 17 September 2010 – 7 March 2011 | |
| Prime Minister | Naoto Kan |
| Preceded by | Katsuya Okada |
| Succeeded by | Yukio Edano (Acting) |
| Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | |
| In office 16 September 2009 – 17 September 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Yukio Hatoyama Naoto Kan |
| Preceded by | Kazuyoshi Kaneko |
| Succeeded by | Sumio Mabuchi |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 18 July 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Constituency | Kyoto 1st (1993–1996) Kinki PR (1996–2000) Kyoto 2nd (2000–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 April 1962 Kyoto, Japan |
| Political party | Ishin (since 2024) |
| Other political affiliations | |
| Alma mater | Kyoto University (LLB) |
| Website | Official website |
Seiji Maehara (前原 誠司, Maehara Seiji; born 30 April 1962) is a Japanese politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives of Japan since 1993. He founded and led the political party, Free Education for All, before its merger into Nippon Ishin no Kai on 3 October 2024.
Maehara was the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) from 2005 to 2006, and later served as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Minister of Foreign Affairs under the cabinets of Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan, before resigning from the cabinet in March 2011 after he acknowledged receiving illegal donations from a South Korean national living in Japan. Maehara was also the leader of the Democratic Party, the successor party of the DPJ from 1 September 2017 until its dissolution later that month. Maehara is viewed as a "China war hawk" and a proponent of close ties with the United States. He is also often viewed as being politically conservative. Maehara founded a new party in 2023, Free Education for All, which was broadly centrist and focused on building a coalition against the LDP.