is the governor of Tochigi Prefecture

Tochigi Prefecture

is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...

 in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, first elected in 2004. A native of Imaichi, Tochigi

Imaichi, Tochigi

was a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.On March 20, 2006 Imaichi, along with the town of Ashio, from Kamitsuga District, the town of Fujihara, and the village of Kuriyama, both from Shioya District, was merged into the expanded city of Nikkō...

 and graduate of Nihon University

Nihon University

Nihon University is the largest university in Japan. Akiyoshi Yamada, the minister of justice, founded Nihon Law School in October 1889....

, he had served in the city assembly of Utsunomiya, Tochigi

Utsunomiya, Tochigi

is the capital and most populous city of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. In October 2010 the city had an estimated population of 510,416 and a population density of 1,224.49 people per square kilometer. The total area is 416.84 km². had a population of 888,005 in the 2000 Census...

 since 1983 and then in the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly since 1991. He also served as mayor of Utsunomiya for two terms from 1999 until his election as governor in 2004. He was reelected on November 16th, 2008 in a two-person election.

External links

• Official website