22 Facts About Akihiro Ota

Akihiro Ota is a Japanese politician of the Komeito Party and a former member of the House of Representatives in the National Diet.

Akihiro Ota served as chief representative of the Komeito Party from 2006 until the general election in September 2009, at which time he lost his seat in the Diet.

Akihiro Ota has been involved with Komeito and the Soka Gakkai movement since graduation from university and was called "Komeito's prince" earlier in his career.

Akihiro Ota was born in Shinshiro, Aichi Prefecture and grew up in the neighbouring city of Toyohashi, graduating from Seiryo Junior High School and Jishukan High School within the city.

Akihiro Ota attended Kyoto University and received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering in 1968 and a Master of Engineering degree in 1971.

Whilst studying at Kyoto University Akihiro Ota was captain of the school's sumo club.

Akihiro Ota stayed with the paper for 18 months, after which he continued to progress through the elite course of the Soka Gakkai organization, serving as head of their youth wing in 1982 and earning the nickname "the Prince of Komeito".

Akihiro Ota first contested for a seat in the House of Representatives at the 1990 general election.

Akihiro Ota contested the former Tokyo 8th district, finishing fourth in the race for three seats, 5,199 votes behind the Japanese Communist Party candidate Mitsuhiro Kaneko.

The majority of the area covered by the 9th district that Akihiro Ota represented became the Tokyo 11th district, whilst the remaining portion became part of the Tokyo 12th district.

In December 1994 the Komeito Party dissolved and Akihiro Ota joined the New Frontier Party, becoming a deputy secretary-general of the party in the same year.

In 1998 the New Frontier Party dissolved and Komeito reformed; Akihiro Ota was chosen as the reformed party's secretary-general.

At the subsequent November 2003 general election Akihiro Ota switched from the Tokyo PR block to the single-member Tokyo 12th district, which represents Kita Ward and part of Adachi Ward.

The district had been represented since its inception by Liberal Democratic Party member Eita Yashiro, who swapped with Akihiro Ota to run as a candidate in the Tokyo PR block.

Akihiro Ota was standing as a candidate in his Tokyo 12th district, but was not named as a PR block candidate in the case of being defeated, meaning he was left without a seat in the House after five terms and 16 years.

Akihiro Ota was replaced as party leader by Natsuo Yamaguchi on 8 September 2009.

Akihiro Ota returned to the Diet at the 2012 general election, which returned the LDP-Komeito coalition to power in a landslide victory over the DPJ.

Akihiro Ota comfortably retained his seat at the 2014 general election, receiving more votes than Aoki and Communist Party candidate Saori Ikeuchi combined.

Akihiro Ota maintained his role in the ministry until be was replaced by fellow Komeito member Keiichi Ishii in October 2015.

Akihiro Ota is a prominent voice within the government for better preparation against large-scale earthquakes.

Akihiro Ota has been a proponent of quake-proofing schools since entering politics in 1993 and became the chairman of Komeito's committee on disasters in 2004.

Akihiro Ota is said to be a member of the Alliance for Promoting the Assessment of a New Constitution, which promotes constitutional revision.