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Kenta Suzuki

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Kenta Suzuki
鈴木健太
Suzuki in 2025
Governor of Akita Prefecture
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 April 2025
Preceded byNorihisa Satake
Vice-Speaker of Akita Prefecture Assembly
In office
25 May 2023 – 16 November 2024
Member of the Akita House of Representatives
In office
2015 – 26 November 2024
Personal details
Born (1975-08-24) 24 August 1975 (age 50)
Osaka Prefecture, Japan
PartyLiberal Democratic Party (2015–2025)
Independent (since 2025)
Alma materKyoto University

Kenta Suzuki (Japanese: 鈴木健太, Hepburn: Suzuki Kenta; born 24 August 1975)[1] is a Japanese politician currently serving as Governor of Akita Prefecture as an independent politician.[2]

He previously served as a member of the Akita Prefectural Assembly as the 73rd Vice-Speaker and was a member of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.[2]

Biography

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Suzuki was born in Osaka Prefecture[2] and grew up in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture[3][1] His family ran a newspaper shop,[4] and he played baseball from elementary school through high school.[4] While retaking his university entrance exams, he survived the Kobe earthquake, aiding in the rescue of elderly people from the rubble.[4]

He graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University in 2000 and joined the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).[3] Suzuki later attended the Officer Candidate School and was assigned to the 16th Infantry Regiment. He was also deployed to the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations in Timor-Leste and Iraq.[5]

In 2006, Suzuki retired from the JGSDF and moved to Akita City, the hometown of his wife, whom he met at the Officer Candidate School.[6] Subsequently, he studied at the prefectural library and obtained a judicial scrivener's licence.[4] In 2015, Suzuki ran for the Akita City constituency in the Akita Prefectural Assembly election as a member of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party,[6] and won two of his three political races.[6]

In February 2021, it was reported that he was considering running in the Akita Prefectural Gubernatorial election,[6] but he declined to run in a later statement.[7]

He also served as Vice-Speaker of the Prefectural Assembly between 2023 and 2024.[3][8]

In November 2024, Suzuki announced his candidacy for the 2025 Akita Prefectural Gubernatorial election upon the expiration of his term at the prefectural assembly.[9] He resigned from his seat after winning the election, and left the Liberal Democratic Party in January 2025.[10][11]

In the election, he defeated former Akita Vice Governor Kazuzo Saruta and others,[1] winning his first election for Governor of Akita.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Who will be Akita's new leader? Three candidates file for gubernatorial election, with measures to combat population decline at issue". Akita Sakigake Shimpō (in Japanese). 21 March 2025. p. 1.
  2. ^ a b c "プロフィール". pref.akita.lg.jp (in Japanese). Akita, Japan: Akita Prefecture. 20 April 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "秋田知事選勝利の鈴木健太氏 ｢現場に顔出し最終成果出す｣". The Nikkei (in Japanese). 7 April 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d "What kind of person is the new leader? Former GSDF member Suzuki moves to his wife's hometown". Akita Sakigake Shimpō (in Japanese). 8 April 2025. p. 26.
  5. ^ "鈴木健太県議、知事選へ出馬検討　自民県連幹部らに意向". Sakigake (in Japanese). 20 February 2021. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ a b c d e "全国2人目の自衛官出身知事が誕生　秋田の鈴木健太氏「指導力と危機管理を県政に生かす」". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). 8 April 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  7. ^ "鈴木健太県議、知事選出馬見送り　「挑戦の時機ではない」". Sakigake (in Japanese). 24 February 2021. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ "県議会議長に北林丈正氏　副議長には鈴木健太氏を選出". Sakigake (in Japanese). 15 May 2023. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. ^ "前秋田県議の鈴木健太氏が自民党離党　知事選、無所属で立候補". Sakigake (in Japanese). 31 January 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  10. ^ "鈴木健太県議、秋田県知事選出馬を表明　「日本一持続可能な県に」". Sakigake (in Japanese). 15 November 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  11. ^ "鈴木健太県議が辞職　秋田県知事選に立候補表明". Sakigake (in Japanese). 26 November 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
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