Kaoru Fukuda (politician)

Kaoru Fukuda
福田 かおる
Fukuda in 2024
Member of the House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 October 2024
Preceded byNaoto Kan
ConstituencyTokyo 18th
Personal details
Born (1985-05-10) 10 May 1985
Takaoka, Toyama, Japan
PartyLiberal Democratic
Alma materUniversity of Tokyo
Columbia University

Kaoru Fukuda (福田かおる, Fukuda Kaoru; born 10 May 1985) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2024.[1] She previously worked at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and at the Japan External Trade Organization office in Bangkok, and served as secretary to Ken Saitō.[2] Her registered family name is Kitaguchi (北口).[3]

Early life and education

Fukuda was born in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, Japan[4] and raised in Misato, Saitama, Japan.[5] Her father is an educational scholar specializing in Nordic education, and her mother is an elementary school teacher. Her grandfather was a military doctor.[6]

She graduated from Shibuya Makuhari Junior and Senior High School,[7] where she was a member of the Kendo club. During high school, she studied abroad at a public high school in the United States for approximately one year, where she witnessed the September 11 attacks.[8] She subsequently graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo. During her university years, she organized the "National University Student Environmental Activity Contest" (ecocon) as a student representative.[1]

Civil service career

Fukuda joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in 2008. Until 2013, she worked at MAFF and the Japan Tourism Agency, engaging in regional revitalization through tourism and legal amendments to promote forest management.

From 2013 to 2015, she participated in long-term overseas training, earning a master's degree from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University in the United States. She completed internships at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, as well as in Thailand, India, Bangladesh, and Malawi.

After returning to MAFF in 2015, she worked on tasks related to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), revisions to fishing vessel and fishery insurance systems, and bilateral negotiation coordination.[9] In 2017, she co-founded "Team414," a policy research team of young volunteers within MAFF, and published a "policy paper."[10] Ken Saitō, then Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, received a direct briefing on Team414's activities from Fukuda and her colleagues.[11] She was also seconded to the Cabinet Secretariat.[4]

One notable episode during her time as a bureaucrat occurred during her secondment to the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) starting in 2018. In cooperation with Yusuke Ujiie of a trading firm and others, she worked to respond quickly to revisions in Thai law regarding the sorting and packaging of fresh produce,[12] helping to protect approximately 40 billion yen in agricultural exports and promoting the expansion of export channels for produce such as peaches from Fukushima Prefecture.[13] During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she implemented projects to support the use of Japanese ingredients in Thailand, including SNS campaigns and strengthening food delivery services. As a result, the number of Japanese restaurants in Thailand continued to increase despite the pandemic.[14]

She married at the age of 33.[7][15] She retired from MAFF in March 2022.[1]

Political career

Encouraged by her spouse, Fukuda decided to enter politics.[16] Initially, she served as a secretary to Ken Saitō.[17] When Saitō was appointed Minister of Justice in November 2022, she became his policy secretary.[18]

On March 22, 2023, following a public recruitment process restricted to female candidates,[19] Fukuda was appointed head of the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) Tokyo 18th district branch. The appointment drew attention as the district has long been a stronghold for former Prime Minister Naoto Kan of the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP).[20][21]

In August 2024, she was selected as a member of the first cohort of the "Reiwa Seikei Gijuku" (Reiwa Political and Economic School), operated by the Next Japan Initiative.[22][23]

House of Representatives

In the 2024 Japanese general election held on October 27, 2024, Fukuda ran in the Tokyo 18th district against Reiko Matsushita (CDP), Yukiko Tokunaga (Sanseitō), and Ryo Higuchi (JCP). Although the LDP suffered a major defeat overall, Fukuda defeated Matsushita by approximately 2,200 votes to win her first term. Matsushita, who had been designated as Naoto Kan's successor, secured a seat through proportional representation.

Fukuda first attended the Diet on November 11, 2024. During the 217th Diet session starting in January 2025, she participated in the Special Committee on Political Reform, the Budget Committee, the Health, Labour and Welfare Committee, and the Security Committee.

In October 2025, she was appointed as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in the Takaichi Cabinet, despite being a first-term lawmaker.[24]

In the 2026 Japanese general election held on February 8, 2026, Fukuda won re-election in the Tokyo 18th district, defeating Reiko Matsushita again. During the campaign, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike campaigned on her behalf.[25]

Policies

Fukuda lists her key policy areas as:

  • Employment and Wages[26]
  • Education Reform[27]
  • National Security[28]

Personal life

  • Since 2023, when she became the branch head for Tokyo 18th district, Fukuda has been active as a Local Guide on Google Maps, posting photo reviews of restaurants in the area.[29] As of November 2024, she had reviewed approximately 100 establishments. Her detailed reviews, including information on Wi-Fi availability, were described by a weekly magazine as "Reiwa-style dobuita (door-to-door) campaigning."[30]

Controversies

Photography in the Diet Chamber

On November 11, 2024, her first day in the House of Representatives, Fukuda took a commemorative photo with fellow lawmaker Jun Mukaiyama inside the assembly hall before the plenary session began. As Article 211 of the Rules of the House of Representatives is interpreted to prohibit photography inside the chamber, this act was considered a violation. Fukuda apologized on X (formerly Twitter) that night. The LDP executives issued a verbal warning to both lawmakers, and the LDP directors apologized at the Steering Committee board meeting two days later.[31]

Gift Certificate Incident

On March 13, 2025, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held a dinner at the Prime Minister's Official Residence with 15 first-term LDP lawmakers, including Fukuda. Before the dinner, the Prime Minister's secretary visited the lawmakers' offices and distributed gift certificates worth 100,000 yen per person as a "souvenir." The lawmakers realized the nature of the gift after the dinner and consulted with each other the following day. Ultimately, all 15 members returned the gift certificates.[32] Prime Minister Ishiba later explained the incident in the House of Councillors Budget Committee.[33]

References

  1. ^ a b c "自由民主党・福田かおる議員に聞く！豊かな食生活を守る農業政策のあり方｜政治ドットコム" (in Japanese). 9 October 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  2. ^ "福田 かおる". go2senkyo (in Japanese).
  3. ^ "令和6年10月27日執行　衆議院議員総選挙・最高裁判所裁判官国民審査　速報結果 候補者別得票数 (小選挙区)" (PDF) (in Japanese). Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
  4. ^ a b "衆議院 福田かおる". National Diet Library Search (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  5. ^ "問いを立て、声を聴き、制度を動かす――新人議員の試行錯誤に迫る（福田かおる）｜NXJI（令和政経義塾）". note（ノート） (in Japanese). 17 June 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  6. ^ "第217回国会　衆議院　厚生労働委員会　第5号　令和7年3月26日". kokkai.ndl.go.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  7. ^ a b "第6回東京大学研究セミナーを開催しました". 渋谷教育学園幕張中学校・高等学校 (in Japanese). 21 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  8. ^ "【若手官僚オンライン座談会】私たちが考える日本の課題と未来". Kagaribi WEB (in Japanese). 11 March 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  9. ^ "令和元年度第4回 JBA 機能性食品研究会講演会" (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan Bioindustry Association. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  10. ^ "国交、総務、農水でも若手官僚ペーパー続々。若手の起こす地殻変動は日本を変えるか。". Business Insider Japan (in Japanese). 19 July 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  11. ^ 編集部, ABEMA TIMES (17 March 2022). "「お給料では測れないものもいっぱいあります」食の改革に意欲を燃やす若手農水官僚たちに密着 | 政治 | ABEMA TIMES | アベマタイムズ". ABEMA TIMES (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  12. ^ "生鮮野菜・果物の選別・梱包施設に関する規制が施行". JETRO (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  13. ^ "日本のタイ向け食品輸出、18年は11.4％増 - NNA ASIA・タイ・農水". NNA.ASIA (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  14. ^ "日本食レストラン、過去最多の4,000店舗超え(タイ) | ビジネス短信 ―ジェトロの海外ニュース". JETRO (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  15. ^ "スタッフブログ | 大正ロマンな鎌倉の結婚式場・和婚ウェディングは萬屋本店 -" (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  16. ^ "月刊誌「りぶる」特集 2月号より 未来を創る女性のチカラ". LDP (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  17. ^ 演説の力 (12 July 2024). 斎藤健経済産業大臣！　福田かおる決起大会での挨拶／当時の出馬から落選について赤裸々に述べ、現代の国家間投資競争についての争いについて語る！/総裁選出馬が噂される前の大会挨拶では心中如何だったのか？ (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 February 2026 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ "法務省　幹部公務員　名簿（令和５年１月１０日現在）" (PDF) (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  19. ^ "【公募情報】衆議院東京１８区 女性候補者 公募 | ～東京がもっとすきになる～ 【 TOKYO自民党 】". www.tokyo-jimin.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  20. ^ "自民党・東京１８区の支部長は元農水省の女性キャリア官僚 女性候補対決の可能性も". 東スポWEB (in Japanese). 23 March 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  21. ^ "福田かおるについて｜市原蓮". note（ノート） (in Japanese). 26 October 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  22. ^ "一般財団法人 ネクストジャパン・イニシアティブ「令和政経義塾」開講式レポート". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES (in Japanese). 18 September 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  23. ^ "問いを立て、声を聴き、制度を動かす――新人議員の試行錯誤に迫る（福田かおる）". note (in Japanese). 17 June 2025. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  24. ^ "高市早苗内閣・政務官の顔ぶれ一覧". Nikkei (in Japanese). 22 October 2025. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  25. ^ 小池知事の自民応援の背景は…　衆院選当選証書の授与も“異例”…全員が自民, TOKYO MX NEWS, 10 February 2026, retrieved 10 February 2026. In Japanese.
  26. ^ 福田かおる (21 October 2024). 福田かおるの重点政策①雇用・賃金. Retrieved 11 February 2026 – via YouTube. In Japanese.
  27. ^ 福田かおる (24 October 2024). 福田かおるの重点政策②教育. Retrieved 11 February 2026 – via YouTube. In Japanese.
  28. ^ 福田かおる (25 October 2024). 福田かおるの重点政策③安全保障. Retrieved 11 February 2026 – via YouTube. In Japanese.
  29. ^ "Google Maps 福田かおる ローカルガイド レベル 6". Google Maps (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  30. ^ "議場で写真撮影し「修学旅行」批判受けた福田かおる氏 注目集める衝撃的な"顔写真付き口コミ投稿"". goo news (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  31. ^ "自民の初当選議員2人、議場でスマホ撮影 党幹部が口頭注意". Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 13 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  32. ^ "10万円商品券配布に「これはヤバいと思った」…1年生議員が告白". Daily Shincho (in Japanese). 27 March 2025. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  33. ^ "第217回国会　参議院　予算委員会　第7号　令和7年3月14日". kokkai.ndl.go.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 February 2026.
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