Takamori Yoshikawa

Takamori Yoshikawa (吉川 貴盛, Yoshikawa Takamori; born October 20, 1950) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who served as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and as a member of the House of Representatives the Hokkaido 2nd district in the Diet.

Takamori Yoshikawa
吉川 貴盛
Official portrait, 2013
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
In office 2 October 2018 – 11 September 2019
Prime Minister	Shinzo Abe
Preceded by	Ken Saitō
Succeeded by	Taku Etō
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 16 December 2012 – 21 December 2020
Preceded by	Wakio Mitsui
Succeeded by	Kenko Matsuki
Constituency	Hokkaido 2nd
In office 16 September 2005 – 21 July 2009
Constituency	Hokkaido PR
In office 25 October 1996 – 10 October 2003
Preceded by	Multi-member district
Succeeded by	Wakio Mitsui
Constituency	Hokkaido PR (1996–2000) Hokkaido 2nd (2000–2003)
Member of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly
In office 1991–1995
Constituency	Higashi Ward
In office 1979–1987
Constituency	Higashi Ward
Personal details
Born	(1950-10-20) 20 October 1950 (age 74) Suginami, Tokyo, Japan
Political party	Liberal Democratic
Alma mater	Nihon University College of Economics Hokkaido University (2007)

Early life

Yoshikawa was born in Tokyo and grew up in Yoichi, Hokkaido. He became a graduate of Nihon University.

Political career

Yoshikawa was elected to the first of his three terms in the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly in 1979 and then to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1996.

On October 2, 2018, Yoshikawa took office as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to September 11, 2019.

Scandal and resignation

In late 2020, Yoshikawa was accused of accepting multiple bribes totalling ¥5 million from Hiroshima-based Akita Foods between October 2018 and September 2019, during his time as agriculture minister.

On 21 December 2020, Yoshikawa announced his resignation from the Diet, citing health reasons and saying he "will not be able to carry out activities that will fulfill the mandate of the people".

Opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan secretary general Tetsuro Fukuyama said he "feel[s] it is wrong to resign without a single explanation concerning the allegations".^[1]