Kiyoshi Odawara

Kiyoshi Odawara
小田原 潔
Official Portrait, 2021
Member of the House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
9 February 2026
Preceded byMasako Ōkawara
ConstituencyTokyo 21st
In office
17 December 2012 – 9 October 2024
Preceded byMulti-member district
Succeeded byMasako Ōkawara
ConstituencyTokyo 21st (2014-2017; 2021-2024)
Tokyo PR (2012-2014; 2017-2021)
Personal details
Born (1964-05-23) 23 May 1964
Usa, Ōita Prefecture, Japan
PartyLDP
Alma materUniversity of Tokyo
WebsiteKiyoshi Odawara website

Kiyoshi Odawara (小田原 潔, Kiyoshi Odawara; born 23 May 1964) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.[1]

Early years

Odawara was born in Usa, Ōita Prefecture. In March 1987, he graduated from the Economics Department of the University of Tokyo and joined Fuji Bank in April.[2]

In 1996, he moved to Merrill Lynch Securities, and in 2000, he moved to Goldman Sachs Securities. Furthermore, in 2004, he moved to German Securities. He then moved to Morgan Stanley Securities in 2007.[2]

Political career

In the 2010 House of Councillors election, Odawara was nominated by LDP and ran for Ōita at-large district, but was defeated by DPJ incumbent Shinya Adachi and lost the election.[3]

In the 2012 general election, Odawara was nominated as LDP’s Tokyo 21st candidate but lost to DPJ Incumbent Akihisa Nagashima after a close race. However, Odawara won a seat in Tokyo PR block.[4]

In the 2014 general election, Odawara defeated Nagashima (DPJ) and won Tokyo 21st’s seat after a close race. Defeated Nagashima won a seat in Tokyo PR block.[5]

In 2016, Odawara was appointed to the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Third Abe Second reshuffled cabinet.[6]

In the 2017 general election, Odawara defeated by Kibō’s Nagashima. He won a seat in Tokyo PR block again.[7]

On June 27, 2019, Akihisa Nagashima, who had been fighting with Odawara for Tokyo 21st’s seat, joined LDP. Nagashima said, "I'm not going to join LDP in the hope of kicking down Odawara, who is not at fault." and offered to move to another constituency.[8] As a result, Nagashima was moved to Tokyo 18th district, constituency of former PM Naoto Kan, whom Nagashima once served as a Special Advisor to the PM.[9]

In 2021, Odawara was appointed to the State Minister for Foreign Affairs in the First Kishida cabinet.[10]

In the 2021 general election, Odawara defeated CDP’s Masako Ōkawara and won Tokyo 21st’s seat. Meanwhile, Defeated Ōkawara won a seat in Tokyo PR block.[11] After the election, Odawara was re-appointed to the State Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Second Kishida cabinet.[12]

On 4 August 2022, when Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, arrived at the U.S. Yokota base for a visit to Japan, Odawara represented the Japanese government as State Minister for Foreign Affairs and welcomed her with Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Ambassador to Japan.[13]

In the 2024 general election, on October 6 2024, PM Ishiba decided not to nominate members who were suspended from their membership in the general election, including Odawara, because of the involvement in the slush fund scandal. So Odawara had to run as a Independent.[14] As a result, Odawara was defeated by Ōkawara (CDP) and lost the election due to the slush fund scandal and the 20 million yen scandal described later.[15]

In the 2026 general election, Odawara was nominated by LDP and defeated other candidates to regain Tokyo 21st’s seat.[16]

Scandal

Slush fund scandal

On 13 February 2024, LDP released the results of a survey of all Diet members belonging to the LDP over the slush fund scandal held by five LDP factions. It was revealed that Odawara used a total of 12.4 million yen as slush funds for five years as a kickback from the Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai (Abe faction) for quota excess.[17]

On 4 April 2024, LDP held the Party Ethics Committee meeting and decided to suspend Odawara from office for six months.[18][19]

On 14 May 2024, the House of Representatives Political Ethics Committee unanimously passed the opposition's petition to attend and explain 44 LDP members who were involved in the slush fund scandal but did not explain themselves to the committee.[20] On 17 May 2024, the House of Councillors Political Ethics Committee unanimously passed a petition for attendance and explanation to 29 members who had not made excuses. All 73 Diet members, including Odawara, refused to attend, and the ordinary Diet session was closed on 23 June 2024.[21]

20 million yen scandal

In the 2024 general election, Shimbun Akahata, daily newspaper published by JCP, reported that 20 million yen was paid to LDP branches headed by candidates, including Odawara, who were not nominated by LDP because of the involvement in the slush fund scandal.[22][23]

Hiroshi Moriyama, LDP Secretary-General, admitted reports and explained that it was not to fund the election but to expand the party's position in the future. However, opposition parties pointed out that it was effectively providing campaign funds and criticized the scandal, saying, "LDP is not reflecting on the slush fund scandal."[24][25]

In a street speech in Tachikawa, Tokyo, Odawara said, "20 million yen is not what we wanted. Even if money is transferred without permission and is now called political funds, I am just confused. I'm going to pay it back." In an interview after the speech, Odawara said, "I didn't know it was being transferred until the report came out. The camp staff are negotiating to return it to party headquarters today, but I heard that they refused because it was a donation from the party." Odawara also said, "It's annoying. The timing is too bad.", criticizing LDP headquarters.[26]

References

  1. ^ "Kiyoshi Odawara". LDP (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b "国会議員情報：小田原潔". Jiji Press (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  3. ^ "選挙区開票結果・大分". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 11 July 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  4. ^ "小選挙区開票速報：東京". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 16 December 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  5. ^ "小選挙区開票速報：東京". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 14 December 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  6. ^ "小田原潔外務大臣政務官略歴". Ministry for Foreign Affairs (in Japanese). 24 August 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  7. ^ "小選挙区開票速報：東京". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 22 October 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  8. ^ "自民入りした長島昭久氏　菅長官が誘導　苦渋の選挙区返上". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). 15 July 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  9. ^ "離党・国替え　元同志対決…東京１８区、長島氏　古巣を攻撃・菅氏「有権者冒涜」". The Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 23 October 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  10. ^ "外務副大臣　小田原潔　プロフィール". PM office of Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  11. ^ "衆院選 東京 開票速報". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 31 October 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  12. ^ "外務副大臣　小田原潔　プロフィール". PM office of Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  13. ^ "ペロシ米下院議長が日本到着　5日に岸田首相を表敬". The Nikkei (in Japanese). 4 August 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  14. ^ "裏金議員43人の比例重複認めず　萩生田氏ら6人は非公認　首相表明". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 6 October 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  15. ^ "東京21区 衆議院選挙". The Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 27 October 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  16. ^ "東京２１区、自民党の小田原潔氏が当選". The Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 9 February 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  17. ^ "【一覧】自民党「裏金」調査　最多は二階俊博氏　85人が記載漏れ、誤記載を申告、5年で計5.7億円超". Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). 13 February 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  18. ^ "自民裏金、党紀委が塩谷・世耕両氏に離党勧告　39人の処分決定". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 4 April 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  19. ^ "自民党の処分全容　党の役職停止は武田良太氏ら17人". The Nikkei (in Japanese). 4 April 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  20. ^ "衆院政倫審での弁明、裏金議員44人全員が拒否　全会一致の議決でも". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 20 May 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  21. ^ "裏金議員73人、政倫審に応ぜず閉会　「レッテル貼られるだけ」". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 24 June 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  22. ^ "裏金非公認に２０００万円　公認と同額　自民本部が政党助成金". Shimbun Akahata (in Japanese). 23 October 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  23. ^ "裏金非公認側に2千万円　自民党本部から支部へ　公認候補と同額". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 23 October 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  24. ^ "「裏公認料」「反省してない」　非公認側に２０００万円、野党が批判". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 24 October 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  25. ^ "裏公認　原資は税金　自民政党助成金支出　田村委員長が批判". Shimbun Akahata (in Japanese). 24 October 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  26. ^ "「迷惑だ」「返したい」自民党本部からの2千万円、非公認候補が批判". The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 24 October 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
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