Kota Matsuda

Kota Matsuda (or Kouta Matsuda, born December 3, 1968) is a Japanese entrepreneur, enterprise manager, and politician from Tokyo.^[1] Your Party^[2] was a Japanese political party to which Kota Matsuda belonged until its disbanding in December 2014. He founded The Assembly to Energize Japan in January 2015 and was the party leader.^[3]

Kota Matsuda
松田 公太
Matsuda in 2015
President of the Assembly to Energize Japan
In office 1 January 2015 – 2 June 2016
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Antonio Inoki
Member of the House of Councilors
In office 26 July 2010 – 25 July 2016
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Kentaro Asahi
Constituency	Tokyo at-large
Personal details
Born	(1968-12-03) 3 December 1968 (age 56) Shiogama, Miyagi, Japan
Political party	Assembly to Energize Japan (2015–2018)
Other political affiliations	Your Party (2010–2014) Independent (2014–2015)
Alma mater	University of Tsukuba

Career

Matsuda is the founder and ex-President/CEO of Tully's Coffee Japan and an ex-member of the House of Councilors.

He left Sanwa Bank (now Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Bank) and founded Tully's Coffee in Japan, which became the second-largest specialty coffee chain in the country after Starbucks Coffee Japan.

Following his prior accomplishments, he successfully ran for a position in the House of Councilors - the Upper House of the Japanese Parliament - representing the electoral district of Tokyo.

Timeline

1968–1986: Born in Japan, grew up in Senegal and the United States.

1986–1990: Tsukuba University

1990–1996: Banker (Sanwa→Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ)

1997–2007: Founder and CEO of Tully's Coffee Japan

2007–2009: Tully's Coffee International, President of Quiznos Asia-Pac, AFCM

2010-  : Founded EGGS 'N THINGS JAPAN KK

2010–2016: Member of the House of Councillors of Japan. (Tokyo District)^[4]

2015–2018: Founding member of The Assembly to Energize Japan

2019-  : Founder and CEO of KooJoo Co., Ltd