Speaker of the House of Representatives (Japan)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Speaker of the House of Representatives
衆議院議長
Shūgiin-gichō
Incumbent
Fukushiro Nukaga
since 20 October 2023
House of Representatives
StyleMr. Speaker (informal)
The Honourable (formal)
ResidenceThe Speaker’s Official Residence (not in use)
AppointerThe House
Term lengthFour years; renewable only if there is a dissolution
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Japan
FormationNovember 29, 1890; 133 years ago (1890-11-29)
DeputyVice Speaker of the House of Representatives
(衆議院副議長 Shūgiin-fukugichō)
Banri Kaieda
(since 10 November 2021)

The Speaker of the House of Representatives (衆議院議長, Shūgiin-gichō) is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives of Japan, and together with the President of the House of Councillors, the Speaker is also the head of the legislative branch of Japan. The Speaker is elected by members of the House at the start of each session, and can serve for a maximum of four years.

The current Speaker of the House of Representatives is Fukushiro Nukaga, who took office on 20 October 2023.

Selection

Nancy Pelosi with Former Speaker Tadamori Ōshima at the G7 Brest Parlement

The election of the Speaker takes place on the day of the new session, under the moderation of the Secretary-General of the House.[1] The Speaker is elected by an anonymous vote, and must have at least half of the votes in order to take office. If no one gets over half of the votes, the top two candidates will be voted again, and if they get the same number of votes, the Speaker is elected by a lottery. The Vice Speaker is elected separately, in the same way.[1]

Usually, the Speaker is a senior member of the ruling party, and the Vice Speaker is a senior member of the opposition party. The current Speaker, Hiroyuki Hosoda, is a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, while the Vice Speaker, Banri Kaieda, is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

Powers and Duties

The official residence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives

According to Chapter III Article 19 of the Diet Law, the Speaker "shall maintain order in the House, arrange its business, supervise its administration, and represent the House".[1]

The Speaker is also authorized to maintain order in the House chambers by exercising police power. Upon the Speaker's request, police personnel are sent by the National Police Agency, and are placed under the Speaker's direction.[1] The Speaker may then order arrest or removal of a member of the House or a visitor.

According to Chapter XIV Chapter 116 of the Diet law, when a member of the House of Representatives acts in a disorderly manner, the Speaker can warn them or make them withdraw their statements. If the member does not obey these orders, the Speaker can forbid the member to speak or make the member leave the chamber until the end of the proceedings. If the chamber goes out of control and becomes over chaotic, the Speaker may also temporarily suspend or adjourn the sitting for the day.[1]

List of speakers

Speaker Political party Term start Term end
Imperial Diet
1890–1947
Nobuyuki Nakajima
Rep for Kanagawa–5th
(1846–1899)
Rikken Jiyūtō November 26, 1890 December 25, 1891
Hoshi Tōru
Rep for Tochigi–1st
(1850–1901)
Rikken Jiyūtō May 3, 1892 December 13, 1893
Kusumoto Masataka
Rep for Tokyo–4th
(1850–1901)
Dōmei Club December 15, 1893 December 30, 1893
Rikken Kakushintō May 12, 1894 June 2, 1894
October 15, 1894 June 8, 1896
Kazuo Hatoyama
Rep for Tokyo–9th
(1856–1911)
Shimpotō December 22, 1896 December 25, 1897
Kenkichi Kataoka
Rep for Kochi–2nd
(1844–1903)
Rikken Seiyūkai May 15, 1898 June 10, 1898
November 9, 1898 December 28, 1902
May 9, 1903 October 31, 1903
Hironaka Kōno
Rep for Fukushima
(1849–1923)
Kenseitō December 5, 1903 December 11, 1903
Masahisa Matsuda
Rep for Saga
(1845–1914)
Rikken Seiyūkai March 18, 1904 January 19, 1906
Teiichi Sugita
Rep for Fukui
(1851–1929)
Rikken Seiyūkai January 23, 1906 December 23, 1908
Sumitaka Haseba
Rep for Kagoshima
(1854–1914)
Rikken Seiyūkai December 23, 1908 September 6, 1911
Ikuzō Ōoka
Rep for Yamaguchi
(1856–1928)
Rikken Seiyūkai December 24, 1911 March 6, 1914
Sumitaka Haseba
Rep for Kagoshima
(1854–1914)
Rikken Seiyūkai March 7, 1914 March 15, 1914
Shigesaburō Oku
Rep for Kyoto
(1861–1924)
Rikken Seiyūkai March 17, 1914 December 25, 1914
Saburō Shimada
Rep for Yokohama
(1852–1923)
Rikken Dōshikai May 17, 1915 January 25, 1917
Ikuzō Ōoka
Rep for Yamaguchi
(1856–1928)
Rikken Seiyūkai June 21, 1917 February 26, 1920
Shigesaburō Oku
Rep for Kyoto–5th
(1861–1924)
Rikken Seiyūkai June 26, 1920 February 16, 1923
Gizō Kasuya
Rep for Saitama–2nd
(1866–1930)
Rikken Seiyūkai February 17, 1923 January 31, 1924
Independent June 26, 1924 March 25, 1927
Shigeru Morita
Rep for Kyoto–1st
(1872–1932)
Kenseikai March 26, 1927 January 21, 1928
Hajime Motoda
Rep for Oita–2nd
(1858–1938)
Rikken Seiyūkai April 20, 1928 March 14, 1929
Mosuke Kawahara
Rep for Saga–2nd
(1859–1929)
Rikken Seiyūkai March 15, 1929 May 15, 1929
Zenbē Horikiri
Rep for Fukushima–1st
(1882–1946)
Rikken Seiyūkai December 26, 1929 January 21, 1930
Ikunosuke Fujisawa
Rep for Miyagi–1st
(1859–1940)
Rikken Minseitō April 23, 1930 April 13, 1931
Keijirō Nakamura
Rep for Wakayama–1st
(1867–1937)
Rikken Minseitō December 26, 1931 January 21, 1932
Kiyoshi Akita
Rep for Tokushima–2nd
(1881–1944)
Rikken Seiyūkai March 18, 1932 December 13, 1932
Kunimatsu Hamada
Rep for Mie–2nd
(1868–1939)
Rikken Seiyūkai December 24, 1934 January 21, 1936
Kōjirō Tomita
Rep for Kochi–1st
(1872–1938)
Rikken Minseitō May 1, 1936 March 31, 1937
Shōju Koyama
Rep for Aichi–1st
(1876–1959)
Rikken Minseitō July 23, 1937 December 22, 1941
Kazutami Tago
Rep for Iwate–1st
(1881–1963)
Taisei Yokusankai December 24, 1941 May 25, 1942
Tadahiko Okada
Rep for Okayama–1st
(1878–1958)
Taisei Yokusankai May 25, 1942 April 9, 1945
Toshio Shimada
Rep for Shimane–2nd
(1877–1947)
Taisei Yokusankai June 8, 1945 December 18, 1945
Senzō Higai
Rep for Yamanashi
(1890–1953)
Liberal May 22, 1946 August 23, 1946
Takeshi Yamazaki
Rep for Ibaraki
(1886–1957)
Liberal May 22, 1946 August 23, 1946
National Diet
1947–present
Komakichi Matsuoka
Rep for Tokyo–2nd
(1888–1958)
Socialist May 21, 1947 December 23, 1948
Kijūrō Shidehara
Rep for Osaka–3rd
(1872–1951)
Liberal February 11, 1949 March 10, 1951
Jōji Hayashi
Rep for Kochi
(1889–1960)
Liberal March 13, 1951 August 1, 1952
Banboku Ōno
Rep for Gifu–1st
(1890–1964)
Liberal August 26, 1952 August 28, 1952
October 24, 1952 March 14, 1953
Yasujirō Tsutsumi
Rep for Shiga
(1889–1964)
Kaishintō May 18, 1953 December 10, 1954
Tō Matsunaga
Rep for Saitama–1st
(1887–1968)
Democratic December 11, 1954 January 24, 1955
Shūji Masutani
Rep for Ishikawa–2nd
(1888–1973)
Liberal Democratic March 18, 1955 April 25, 1958
Nirō Hoshijima
Rep for Okayama–2nd
(1887–1980)
Liberal Democratic June 11, 1958 December 13, 1958
Ryōgorō Katō
Rep for Aichi–1st
(1883–1970)
Liberal Democratic December 13, 1958 February 1, 1960
Ichirō Kiyose
Rep for Hyogo–4th
(1884–1967)
Liberal Democratic February 1, 1960 October 24, 1960
December 7, 1960 October 23, 1963
Naka Funada
Rep for Tochigi–1st
(1895–1979)
Liberal Democratic December 7, 1963 December 20, 1965
Kikuichirō Yamaguchi
Rep for Wakayama–1st
(1897–1981)
Liberal Democratic December 20, 1965 December 3, 1966
Kentarō Ayabe
Rep for Oita–2nd
(1890–1972)
Liberal Democratic December 3, 1966 December 27, 1966
Mitsujirō Ishii
Rep for Fukuoka–3rd
(1889–1981)
Liberal Democratic February 15, 1967 July 16, 1969
Takechiyo Matsuda
Rep for Osaka–5th
(1888–1980)
Liberal Democratic December 3, 1969 December 27, 1969
Naka Funada
Rep for Tochigi–1st
(1895–1979)
Liberal Democratic January 14, 1970 November 13, 1972
Umekichi Nakamura
Rep for Tokyo–5th
(1901–1984)
Liberal Democratic December 22, 1972 May 29, 1973
Shigesaburō Maeo
Rep for Kyoto–2nd
(1905–1981)
Liberal Democratic May 29, 1973 December 9, 1976
Shigeru Hori
Rep for Saga
(1901–1979)
Liberal Democratic December 24, 1976 February 1, 1979
Hirokichi Nadao
Rep for Hiroshima–1st
(1899–1994)
Liberal Democratic February 1, 1979 September 7, 1979
October 30, 1979 May 19, 1980
Hajime Fukuda
Rep for Fukui
(1902–1997)
Liberal Democratic July 17, 1980 November 28, 1983
Kenji Fukunaga
Rep for Saitama–5th
(1910–1988)
Liberal Democratic December 26, 1983 January 24, 1985
Michita Sakata
Rep for Kumamoto–2nd
(1916–2004)
Liberal Democratic January 24, 1985 June 2, 1986
Kenzaburō Hara
Rep for Hyogo–2nd
(1907–2004)
Liberal Democratic July 22, 1986 June 2, 1989
Hajime Tamura
Rep for Mie–2nd
(1924–2014)
Liberal Democratic June 2, 1989 January 24, 1990
Yoshio Sakurauchi
Rep for Shimane
(1912–2003)
Liberal Democratic February 27, 1990 June 18, 1993
Takako Doi
Rep for Hyogo–2nd
(1928–2014)
Socialist August 6, 1993 September 27, 1996
Soichiro Ito
Rep for Miyagi–4th
(1924–2001)
Liberal Democratic November 7, 1996 June 2, 2000
Tamisuke Watanuki
Rep for Toyama–3rd
(born 1927)
Liberal Democratic July 4, 2000 October 10, 2003
Yōhei Kōno
Rep for Kanagawa–17th
(born 1937)
Liberal Democratic November 19, 2003 August 8, 2005
September 21, 2005 July 21, 2009
Takahiro Yokomichi
Rep for Hokkaido–1st
(1941–2023)
Democratic September 16, 2009 November 16, 2012
Bunmei Ibuki
Rep for Kyoto–1st
(born 1938)
Liberal Democratic December 26, 2012 November 21, 2014
Nobutaka Machimura
Rep for Hokkaido–5th
(1944–2015)
Liberal Democratic December 24, 2014 April 21, 2015
Tadamori Ōshima
Rep for Aomori–3rd
(born 1946)
Liberal Democratic April 21, 2015 September 28, 2017
November 1, 2017 October 14, 2021
Hiroyuki Hosoda
Rep for Shimane–1st
(1944–2023)
Liberal Democratic November 10, 2021 October 20, 2023
Fukushiro Nukaga
Rep for Ibaraki–2nd
(born 1944)
Liberal Democratic 20 October 2023 Incumbent

List of vice speakers

Vice speaker Political party Term start Term end
Imperial Diet
1890–1947
Tsuda Mamichi
Rep for Tokyo–8th
(1829–1903)
Taiseikai November 26, 1890 December 25, 1891
Sone Arasuke
Rep for Yamaguchi–4th
(1849–1910)
Chuo Club May 3, 1892 August 31, 1893
Kusumoto Masataka
Rep for Tokyo–4th
(1850–1901)
Dōmei Club November 26, 1893 December 15, 1893
Abei Iwane
Rep for Fukushima–2nd
(1832–1916)
Independent December 18, 1893 December 30, 1893
Kenkichi Kataoka
Rep for Kochi–2nd
(1844–1903)
Rikken Jiyūtō May 12, 1894 June 2, 1894
Saburō Shimada
Rep for Kanagawa–1st
(1852–1923)
Rikken Kaishintō October 15, 1894 December 25, 1897
Hajime Motoda
Rep for Oita–5th (until 1902)
Rep for Oita (since 1902)
(1858–1938)
Kokumin Kyōkai May 18, 1898 June 10, 1898
November 9, 1898 December 7, 1902
Rikken Seiyūkai December 7, 1902 December 28, 1902
Teiichi Sugita
Rep for Fukui
(1851–1929)
Rikken Seiyūkai May 9, 1903 December 11, 1903
Minoura Katsundo
Rep for Oita
(1854–1929)
Kensei Hontō March 18, 1904 December 23, 1908
Koizuka Ryū
Rep for Hyogo
(1848–1920)
Rikken Kokumintō December 23, 1908 August 21, 1912
Naohiko Seki
Rep for Tokyo City
(1857–1934)
Rikken Kokumintō August 21, 1912 December 25, 1914
Takuzō Hanai
Rep for Hiroshima Prefecture
(1868–1931)
Chūseikai May 17, 1915 December 26, 1915
Hayami Seiji
Rep for Hiroshima City
(1868–1926)
Chūseikai December 26, 1915 January 25, 1917
Kunimatsu Hamada
Rep for Mie
(1868–1939)
Rikken Kokumintō June 21, 1917 February 26, 1920
Gizō Kasuya
Rep for Saitama–2nd
(1866–1930)
Rikken Seiyūkai June 29, 1920 February 17, 1923
Genji Matsuda
Rep for Oita–7th
(1875–1936)
Rikken Seiyūkai February 17, 1923 January 31, 1924
Koizumi Matajirō
Rep for Kanagawa–2nd
(1865–1951)
Kenseikai June 26, 1924 March 25, 1927
Gohē Matsūra
Rep for Shizuoka–7th
(1870–1931)
Seiyūhontō March 26, 1927 January 21, 1928
Ichirō Kiyose
Rep for Hyogo–4th
(1884–1967)
Kakushintō April 20, 1928 January 21, 1930
Shōju Koyama
Rep for Aichi–1st
(1876–1959)
Rikken Minseitō April 21, 1930 December 22, 1931
Giichi Masuda
Rep for Niigata–4th
(1869–1949)
Independent December 23, 1931 January 21, 1932
Etsujirō Uehara
Rep for Nagano–4th
(1877–1962)
Rikken Seiyūkai March 18, 1932 January 21, 1936
Tadahiko Okada
Rep for Okayama–1st
(1878–1958)
Rikken Seiyūkai May 1, 1936 March 21, 1937
Tsuneo Kanemitsu
Rep for Oita–1st
(1877–1955)
Rikken Seiyūkai July 23, 1937 August 31, 1939
Kazutami Tago
Rep for Iwate–1st
(1881–1963)
Rikken Seiyūkai December 23, 1939 December 22, 1941
Sakusaburo Uchigasaki
Rep for Miyagi–1st
(1877–1947)
Taisei Yokusankai December 24, 1941 June 7, 1945
Eikichi Katsuta
Rep for Osaka–5th
(1888–1946)
Taisei Yokusankai June 8, 1945 December 18, 1945
Kozaemon Kimura
Rep for Shimane
(1888–1952)
Progressive May 22, 1946 February 15, 1947
Tomoharu Inoue
Rep for Kagoshima
(1886–1962)
Progressive February 21, 1947 March 31, 1947
National Diet
1947–present
Man'itsu Tanaka
Rep for Osaka–4th
(1882–1963)
Democratic May 21, 1947 December 23, 1948
Nobuyuki Iwamoto
Rep for Kanagawa–3rd
(1895–1963)
Democratic Liberal February 11, 1949 August 28, 1952
October 24, 1952 March 14, 1953
Hyō Hara
Rep for Tokyo–1st
(1894–1975)
Left Socialist May 18, 1953 December 15, 1954
Masamichi Takatsu
Rep for Hiroshima–3rd
(1893–1974)
Left Socialist December 15, 1954 January 24, 1955
Motojirō Sugiyama
Rep for Osaka–4th
(1885–1964)
Right Socialist March 18, 1955 April 25, 1958
Saburō Shīkuma
Rep for Hokkaido–1st
(1895–1965)
Liberal Democratic June 11, 1958 December 13, 1958
Kiyoshi Masaki
Rep for Hokkaido–1st
(1900–1961)
Socialist December 13, 1958 January 30, 1960
Takaichi Nakamura
Rep for Tokyo–7th
(1897–1981)
Socialist January 30, 1960 October 24, 1960
Tsurumatsu Kubota
Rep for Osaka–4th
(1900–1984)
Socialist December 7, 1960 June 8, 1961
Kenzaburō Hara
Rep for Hyogo–2nd
(1907–2004)
Liberal Democratic June 8, 1961 October 23, 1963
Isaji Tanaka
Rep for Kyoto–1st
(1906–1987)
Liberal Democratic December 7, 1963 December 20, 1965
Sunao Sonoda
Rep for Kumamoto–2nd
(1913–1984)
Liberal Democratic December 20, 1965 December 27, 1966
February 15, 1967 November 25, 1967
Hisao Kodaira
Rep for Tochigi–2nd
(1910–1998)
Liberal Democratic December 4, 1967 July 16, 1969
Sensuke Fujieda
Rep for Gunma–1st
(1907–1971)
Liberal Democratic July 16, 1969 December 2, 1969
Seijuro Arafune
Rep for Saitama–3rd
(1907–1980)
Liberal Democratic January 14, 1970 January 29, 1972
Shirō Hasegawa
Rep for Gunma–2nd
(1905–1986)
Liberal Democratic January 29, 1972 November 13, 1972
Daisuke Akita
Rep for Tokushima
(1906–1988)
Liberal Democratic December 22, 1972 December 9, 1976
Shōichi Miyake
Rep for Niigata–3rd
(1900–1982)
Socialist December 24, 1976 September 7, 1979
Haruo Okada
Rep for Hokkaido–4th
(1914–1991)
Socialist October 30, 1979 May 19, 1980
July 17, 1980 November 28, 1983
Seiichi Katsumata
Rep for Shizuoka–2nd
(1908–1989)
Socialist December 26, 1983 June 2, 1986
Shinnen Tagaya
Rep for Fukuoka–2nd
(1920–1995)
Socialist July 22, 1986 June 2, 1989
Yoshinori Yasui
Rep for Hokkaido–2nd
(1915–2012)
Socialist June 2, 1989 January 24, 1990
Kiichi Murayama
Rep for Kagoshima–2nd
(1921–1996)
Socialist February 27, 1990 June 18, 1993
Hyōsuke Kujiraoka
Rep for Tokyo–10th
(1915–2003)
Liberal Democratic August 6, 1993 September 27, 1996
Kōzō Watanabe
Rep for Fukushima–4th
(1932–2020)
New Frontier November 7, 1996 June 2, 2000
Assembly of Independents July 4, 2000 October 10, 2003
Kansei Nakano
Rep for Osaka–8th
(born 1940)
Democratic November 19, 2003 August 8, 2005
Takahiro Yokomichi
Rep for Hokkaido–1st
(1941–2023)
Democratic September 21, 2005 July 21, 2009
Seishirō Etō
Rep for Kyushu PR block
(born 1941)
Liberal Democratic September 16, 2009 November 16, 2012
Hirotaka Akamatsu
Rep for Tōkai PR block
(born 1948)
Democratic December 26, 2012 November 21, 2014
Tatsuo Kawabata
Rep for Kinki PR block
(born 1945)
Democratic December 24, 2014 September 28, 2017
Hirotaka Akamatsu
Rep for Aichi–5th
(born 1948)
Constitutional Democratic November 1, 2017 October 14, 2021
Banri Kaieda
Rep for Tokyo PR block
(born 1949)
Constitutional Democratic November 10, 2021 Incumbent

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Diet Law of the Constitution of Japan".