Mr. Katsuya OKADA
Democratic Party of Japan, Member of the House of Representatives,
Mie Prefecture No. 3 constituency (elected 7 times)

July 14, 1953

Born in the city of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Graduated from local elementary and junior high schools, then Ikeda Senior High School Attached to Osaka Kyoiku University

March 1976

Graduated from Faculty of Law, the University of Tokyo

April 1976

Entered the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI; now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry [METI])
Engaged in responses to the oil crisis, intellectual property right issues, policies for developing advanced technologies, Japan-US energy negotiations, etc.

June 1985

Dispatched by MITI to Harvard University's Center for International Affairs for one year
Saw the well-developed U.S. democracy and its politicians' leadership, and began to cherish an aspiration to become a politician himself

July 1988

Resigned from MITI

February 1990

Elected to the House of Representatives for the first time as a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) member
After the election, devoted himself to political reform and worked actively to bring about electoral system reform, with the introduction of the single-seat constituency system as a major pillar

June 1993

Voted to support the motion of no confidence against the Miyazawa Cabinet and seceded the LDP
Helped to found the Japan Renewal Party (Shinseito) with Messrs. Ichiro Ozawa and Tsutomu Hata. Was successfully elected in the following general election and contributed to the founding of the Morihiro Hosokawa coalition government

December 1994

Helped to constructively dissolve the Japan Renewal Party and found the New Frontier Party (Shinshinto)
Afterwards, from the position of the opposition party, maintained his faith in the necessity of realizing politics that could change the government

April 1998

Participated in the founding of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)
While serving as Chair of the Policy Research Committee and as Secretary General, devoted his utmost efforts to laying the foundations of the party, including policymaking, party reform, election strategies, etc.

May 2004

Assumed the presidency of the DPJ
In the House of Councilors election held two months later, the DPJ defeated the LDP to win the contested seats.
Involved in party reform and formulating party's vision on foreign policy. Toured throughout all 47 prefectures in Japan, as well as Africa.

September 2005

Resigned the presidency of the DPJ after the party suffered a setback in the general election where he challenged Prime Minister Koizumi

September 2006

Assumed the vice-presidency of the DPJ
Adopting "a hands-on approach" as his motto, continued dialogue-oriented political activities both domestically and internationally; visited over 350 towns locales all throughout Japan to support junior lawmakers and new candidates.
Actively engaged in global issues as Chair of the DPJ Global Warming Countermeasures Headquarters, Chair of the Parliamentarians' Group to Promote NGO Activities Overseas, and Chair of the Parliamentarians' Nuclear Disarmament Group.

May 2009

Once again assumed the position of DPJ Secretary General
Brought the party to victory in the general election by putting his utmost efforts behind DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama, thereby achieving his long-cherished dream of bringing about a change in the government

September 2009

Assumed position of Minister for Foreign Affairs