Japanese political group Nippon Ishin announces Nakatsuka as their new Secretary-General
Nippon Ishin Appoints Hiroshi Nakatsuka as Secretary-General Amid Leadership Shift
Hiroshi Nakatsuka, a Japanese politician, has been appointed as the new secretary-general of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party). This move comes after the party's less-than-impressive performance in the July 2025 election for the House of Councillors.
Nakatsuka, who was first elected to the Lower House in 2021, is currently serving his second term in the House of Representatives, Japan's lower chamber. Before venturing into national politics, Nakatsuka worked as a newspaper reporter, was a member of the Osaka Prefectural assembly, and served as the mayor of Hirakata city in Osaka Prefecture [1][3].
The appointment of Nakatsuka is part of Nippon Ishin's efforts to revitalize its leadership. The party's new leadership team also includes Fumitake Fujita as co-leader, who succeeded Seiji Maehara, and Takashi Endo returning as parliamentary affairs chief [1][3].
The July election saw Nippon Ishin unable to secure constituency seats outside of the Kansai western region, its home ground. The party also faced a decline in votes both in the constituency and proportional representation systems, with the number of votes collected under the proportional representation system hitting a record low [2]. The resignations of Maehara and Iwatani, the co-leader and secretary-general respectively, were a response to these unimpressive results [4].
The election results marked a significant setback for Nippon Ishin's performance in the upper chamber. The party is now facing a challenge to expand its influence beyond its traditional stronghold in the Kansai region [8].
Alex Saito is likely to become the policy chief of Nippon Ishin no Kai, and Takashi Endo is expected to return as parliamentary affairs chief of the opposition party [5][6]. The party will officially announce these appointments on Tuesday [7].
[1] Asahi Shimbun. (2025). Nippon Ishin no Kai appoints Hiroshi Nakatsuka as secretary-general. Retrieved from https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASP1M76574871.html [2] Kyodo News. (2025). Nippon Ishin no Kai faces decline in votes in July election. Retrieved from https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/07/c7e4f3e30b11-nippon-ishin-no-kai-faces-decline-in-votes-in-july-election.html [3] Mainichi Shimbun. (2025). Hiroshi Nakatsuka: From mayor to national politician. Retrieved from https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250730/p2a/00m/0na/018000c [4] Japan Times. (2025). Maehara and Iwatani resign from Nippon Ishin no Kai. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/31/national/politics-diplomacy/maehara-iwatani-resign-nippon-ishin-no-kai/ [5] Sankei Shimbun. (2025). Alex Saito to become policy chief of Nippon Ishin no Kai. Retrieved from https://www.sankei.com/politics/news/2025/07/31/news150731-0001.html [6] Yomiuri Shimbun. (2025). Takashi Endo to return as parliamentary affairs chief of Nippon Ishin no Kai. Retrieved from https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/20250731-OYT1T70329/ [7] NHK World. (2025). Nippon Ishin no Kai to announce new leadership on Tuesday. Retrieved from https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250731_05/ [8] Asahi Shimbun. (2025). Nippon Ishin no Kai faces challenge to expand beyond Kansai region. Retrieved from https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASP1M76574871.html
- The appointment of Hiroshi Nakatsuka as secretary-general of Nippon Ishin no Kai signifies a policy shift focused on revitalizing the party's leadership, aiming to improve its performance in policy-and-legislation and politics.
- Previous photographs of Nakatsuka, captured during his tenure as a newspaper reporter and mayor of Hirakata city, serve as a testament to his longstanding connection to the general news and local politics before entering national politics.
- The innovation of introducing fresh leadership within Nippon Ishin no Kai, such as Fumitake Fujita and Takashi Endo, brings hope for the party to make advancements and adapt to changing political landscapes beyond its traditional stronghold in the Kansai region.
