{{Short description|Japanese politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ryosei Akazawa | native_name = {{nobold|赤沢 亮正}} | native_name_lang = ja | image = Ryosei Akazawa 20230528 (front) (cropped).jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2023 | office = Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry | prime_minister = Sanae Takaichi | term_start = 21 October 2025 | term_end = | predecessor = Yoji Muto | successor = | office1 = Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy | prime_minister1 = Shigeru Ishiba | term_start1 = 1 October 2024 | term_end1 = 21 October 2025 | predecessor1 = Yoshitaka Shindō | successor1 = Minoru Kiuchi | office2 = Member of the House of Representatives | term_start2 = 11 September 2005 | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = Yoshihiro Kawakami | constituency2 = Tottori 2nd | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|12|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan | alma_mater = University of Tokyo<br/>Cornell University | parents = | spouse = | children = | profession = | party = Liberal Democratic | website = [http://www.ryosei-akazawa.com/ 赤沢亮正公式ホームページ] }} {{nihongo|'''Ryōsei Akazawa'''|赤沢 亮正|Akazawa Ryōsei|extra=born 18 December 1960}} is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature), representing the Tottori 2nd district in Tottori Prefecture.
== Early life == Akazawa was born into a former ''samurai'' family. His great-grandfather, Kohei, was a samurai who served the Hachisuka Clan, the Lords of Tokushima, and later became an industrialist. In the 1890s, he moved to what is now Akazawa's constituency to build a railway line. Akazawa's grandfather, Masamichi Akazawa, studied at the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) and served as a parliamentarian for over two decades. He held the position of Minister for Home Affairs in Hayato Ikeda's cabinet.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=プロフィール |url=https://www.ryosei-akazawa.com/profile/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=赤沢りょうせい公式WEBサイト |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=資料詳細 {{!}} とっとりデジタルコレクション |url=https://digital-collection.pref.tottori.lg.jp/search/detail?cls=lib_c201&pkey=0000078 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=digital-collection.pref.tottori.lg.jp}}</ref>
Akazawa grew up in Bunkyō, Tokyo, and attended the Junior and Senior High School at Komaba. He went on to study law at UTokyo, following in his grandfather's footsteps. After graduating, Akazawa joined the civil service at the Ministry of Transport. In 1985, he had a life-changing experience when a Boeing 747 crashed with 524 people on board, killing all but four. He was working at the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau at the time, and his team was directly responsible for handling the aftermath of the accident.<ref>{{Cite web |title=赤沢 亮正 氏 {{!}} 山陰中央新報デジタル |url=https://www.sanin-chuo.co.jp/feature/election/candidate?id=616d7d957765614460070000 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=赤沢 亮正 氏 {{!}} 山陰中央新報デジタル |language=ja}}</ref> Another disaster he dealt with at the Ministry was the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. After experiencing these events, Akazawa developed a strong sense that saving lives and managing risk were his primary missions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-02 |title=［石破内閣 閣僚の横顔］経済再生 赤沢亮正氏…鳥取選出 石破氏最側近 |url=https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/20241001-OYT1T50153/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=読売新聞オンライン |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=大災害への備え「今の体制はパンクしかけている」 赤沢亮正担当相が語った危機感 「防災省」は実現する？：東京新聞デジタル |url=https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/358129 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=東京新聞デジタル |language=ja}}</ref>
Akazawa earned an MBA from Cornell University in the United States in 1991.<ref name=":0" />
== Political career == [[File:Ryosei Akazawa and Donald Trump 20250416 1.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Akazawa with Donald Trump (at the White House on 16 April 2025)]] [[File:Jamieson Greer Howard Lutnick Scott Bessent and Ryosei Akazawa 20250501.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Akazawa with Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick and Jamieson Greer (1 May 2025)]] Akazawa was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in the 2005 Japanese general election where he was one of the so-called "Koizumi Children" elected amid the popularity of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. He was re-elected in the 2009 general election and the 2012 general election, and every election since. As of 2025, he is the current representative of the Tottori 2nd electorate.
Akazawa gained some notoriety in August 2011 after berating Economy Minister Banri Kaieda for twenty minutes on the floor of the Diet over the ministry's handling of the Fukushima disaster, ultimately bringing Kaieda to tears.<ref>{{cite news|last=Koh|first=Yoree|title=The Tracks of Banri Kaieda's Tears|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/08/01/the-tracks-of-banri-kaiedas-tears/|accessdate=14 January 2014|newspaper=Wall Street Journal Japan Real Time|date=1 August 2011}}</ref> Kaieda resigned several days later.<ref>{{cite news|last=Inajima|first=Tsuyoshi|title=Japan's Industry Minister Kaieda to Step Down After Nuclear Plant Disaster|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-04/japan-s-industry-minister-to-step-down-after-nuclear-disaster.html|accessdate=14 January 2014|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=5 August 2011}}</ref>
In October 2024, he was appointed Minister of Economic Revitalization, Minister in Charge of New Capitalism, Minister in Charge of Wage Improvement, Minister in Charge of Startups, Minister in Charge of All-Generation Social Security Reform, Minister in Charge of Infectious Disease Crisis Management, and Minister in Charge of Preparation for the Establishment of the Disaster Prevention Agency.<ref>{{Cite web |last=産経新聞 |date=2024-10-01 |title=【動画】石破茂新内閣が正式発足 林官房長官が閣僚名簿 皇居で首相任命式、閣僚認証式 |url=https://www.sankei.com/article/20241001-QPMRGVKJ5VLVNEAJ5RPKC2S3QM/ |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=産経新聞：産経ニュース |language=ja}}</ref>
Ever since he was first elected, Akazawa has been known as the closest aide to Prime Minister Ishiba, who is elected from the other constituency in Tottori prefecture.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-15 |title=首相の最側近20年「（石破氏は）たばこと赤沢はやめられないんだ」：朝日新聞 |url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST2G45PVT2GUTFK00MM.html |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=朝日新聞 |language=ja}}</ref> Akazawa refers to himself as ''Premier Ishiba’s left-hand person'', explaining on his post on X that calling himself the ''Prime Minister’s right-hand'' would feel too arrogant, while ''aide'' would sound as though he were the premier's brain.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-16 |title=赤沢経済再生相がきょう訪米、「石破首相の左腕」が関税交渉担う |url=https://www.bloomberg.co.jp/news/articles/2025-04-16/SUF9UBT0G1KW00 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Bloomberg.com |language=ja}}</ref>
== Honours == * {{flag|Netherlands}}: Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau (29 October 2014)<ref>[http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/nieuws/nieuwsberichten/2014/oktober/decoraties-staatsbezoeken-japan-en-republiek-korea/ Decoraties Staatsbezoeken Japan en Republiek Korea] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104190003/https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/nieuws/nieuwsberichten/2014/oktober/decoraties-staatsbezoeken-japan-en-republiek-korea/ |date=2014-11-04 }} - website of the Dutch Royal House</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.ryosei-akazawa.com/ Official website] in Japanese. {{Cabinet Takaichi}}
{{Cabinet Ishiba}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akazawa, Ryousei}} Category:Politicians from Tokyo Category:University of Tokyo alumni Category:Cornell University alumni Category:Koizumi Children Category:Living people Category:1960 births Category:Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) politicians Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) 2005–2009 Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) 2009–2012 Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) 2012–2014 Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) 2014–2017 Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) 2017–2021 Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) 2024–2026 Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) 2026–