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Tetsuo Saito

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Tetsuo Saito
斉藤 鉄夫
Official portrait, 2021
Chief Representative of Komeito
Assumed office
9 November 2024
Preceded byKeiichi Ishii
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
In office
4 October 2021 – 11 November 2024
Prime MinisterFumio Kishida
Shigeru Ishiba
Preceded byKazuyoshi Akaba
Succeeded byHiromasa Nakano
Minister of the Environment
In office
2 August 2008 – 16 September 2009
Prime MinisterYasuo Fukuda
Tarō Asō
Preceded byIchirō Kamoshita
Succeeded bySakihito Ozawa
Member of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
19 July 1993
Preceded byMulti-member district
ConstituencyHiroshima 1st (1993–1996)
Chugoku PR (1996–2021)
Hiroshima 3rd (2021–present)
Personal details
Born (1952-02-05) 5 February 1952 (age 73)
Ōnan, Shimane, Japan
Political partyKomeito
Other political
affiliations
New Frontier
Alma materTokyo Institute of Technology
OccupationPhysical engineer
Politician

Tetsuo Saito (斉藤 鉄夫, Saitō Tetsuo, born 5 February 1952) is a Japanese politician who serves as chief representative of the Komeito since 2024. He served as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism from 2021 to 2024 and Minister of the Environment from 2008 to 2009.

Born in Shimane Prefecture, he was educated at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and worked as an engineer before entering politics. He was elected to serve as chief representative of the Komeito to succeed Keiichi Ishii, who was defeated in the 2024 election.

Career

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Tetsuo Saito was born on 5 February 1952, in Ōchi District, Shimane. His father was a village councilman belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party and the head of a local group supporting Noboru Takeshita.[1]

Saito attended the Tokyo Institute of Technology as an undergraduate studying applied physics, graduating in 1976, and received a Ph.D. in engineering from the same school. His first employment was with the major construction firm Shimizu Corporation. Saito was a visiting researcher at Princeton University for three years beginning in 1986. He was elected to the Diet for the first time in 1993.[2]

Saito is known for his ties with NASA as well as expert knowledge of lunar bases and clean energy technology. Due to his knowledge in these areas, he was appointed parliamentary secretary of science and technology in 1999 in the Keizo Obuchi administration.[2]

Saito was appointed Minister of the Environment by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on 1 August 2008.[2] [3] In the Cabinet of Prime Minister Tarō Asō, appointed on 24 September 2008, Saito was retained in his post.[4]

On 9 November 2024, Saito was selected as leader of Komeito following an extraordinary party convention to replace Keiichi Ishii, who lost his parliamentary seat in the 2024 Japanese general election.[5]

Personal life

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His main hobbies are swimming and trains.[2][6]

References

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  1. ^ "「混乱した世界は自公でかじ取り」公明・斉藤代表 父は自民党員、連立を「本当に喜んだ」". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). Japan. 9 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Japan Times, "Fukuda's new lineup", August 3, 2008.
  3. ^ "Fukuda overhauls Cabinet / LDP executive shakeup also elevates Aso to party No. 2", The Yomiuri Shimbun, August 2, 2008.
  4. ^ "Aso elected premier / Announces Cabinet lineup himself; poll likely on Nov. 2", The Yomiuri Shimbun, September 25, 2008.
  5. ^ "Land minister Tetsuo Saito takes helm of Japan coalition partner Komeito". Kyodo News. 2024-11-09.
  6. ^ Profile

https://www.sankei.com/article/20250309-FC67J2NVZ5HULPJLCNDTAKDCZM/

[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of the Environment
2008–2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
2021–2024
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Policy Research Council, Komeito
2006–2008
2009–2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by Secretary General of the Komeito
2018–2020
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Representative of Komeito
2024–present
Incumbent