Naoki Furukawa

Naoki Furukawa
古川 直季
Official portrait, 2021
Member of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
1 November 2021
Preceded byYoichiro Aoyagi
ConstituencyKanagawa 6th (2021-2024)
PR block (2024–2026)
Kanagawa 6th (2026–present)
Member of the Yokohama City Council
In office
1995–2021
ConstituencyAsahi Ward
Personal details
Born (1968-08-31) 31 August 1968
PartyLiberal Democratic
Other political
affiliations
New Frontier (until 1996)
Alma materMeiji University
WebsiteNaoki Furukawa website

Naoki Furukawa (古川 直季, Furukawa Naoki; born 31 August 1968) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.[1]

Early years

Furukawa was born in Asahi Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from the School of Political Science and Economics of Meiji University, he entered Bank of Yokohama. After that, he worked as a secretary to Shigefumi Matsuzawa.[2]

Political career

In 1995, Furukawa ran for the Yokohama City Council as a New Frontier Party (NFP) candidate and won. After the NFP was dissolved, he joined the LDP.[2]

In Kanagawa 6th district — which includes Asahi Ward, where Furukawa had been active — the LDP had long refrained from fielding its own candidate due to an electoral cooperation agreement with its coalition partner, Komeito. However, Komeito faced difficulties in maintaining its nomination after Kiyohiko Toyama, their intended candidate, resigned from the party following a scandal.[3] As a result, the LDP decided to field a candidate in the Kanagawa 6th district for the first time in 25 years. Following an open recruitment process, Furukawa was selected as the nominee. On 15 April 2021, Furukawa assumed the head of the LDP Kanagawa 6th district branch.[4]

In the 2021 general election, Furukawa defeated incumbent Yoichiro Aoyagi (CDP).[5]

In the 2024 general election, Furukawa lost to Aoyagi by 926 votes but won a seat in the PR block.[6]

In November 2024, Furukawa was appointed to Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications in Second Ishiba cabinet.[7]

In October 2025, Furukawa was appointed to Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Reconstruction and Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Cabinet Office in First Takaichi cabinet.[8]

In the 2026 general election, Furukawa defeated CRA's Aoyagi by large margin and regained Kanagawa 6th's seat.[9] After the election, he was re-appointed to Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Reconstruction and Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Cabinet Office in Second Takaichi cabinet.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Naoki Furukawa". LDP (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  2. 1 2 "国会議員情報:古川直季". Jiji Press (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  3. ↑ "公明、辞職した遠山氏の神奈川6区で擁立見送りへ「これから見つけるのは困難」". The Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 2 February 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  4. ↑ "衆院神奈川6区 25年ぶりに自民が候補擁立 首相に近い横浜市議 立民はカジノ批判". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). 18 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  5. ↑ "衆院選 神奈川 開票速報". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 31 October 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "神奈川6区 衆議院選挙". The Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 27 October 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "The second ISHIBA Cabinet List of Parliamentary Vice-Ministers". PM office of Japan. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "The TAKAICHI Cabinet List of Parliamentary Vice-Ministers". PM office of Japan. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "神奈川6区 小選挙区【衆議院選挙】開票速報・結果". The Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 8 February 2026. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "List of Parliamentary Vice-Ministers". PM office of Japan. Retrieved 21 April 2026.