Yoshimasa Hayashi

Yoshimasa Hayashi (林 芳正, Hayashi Yoshimasa, born 19 January 1961) is a Japanese politician who served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs from November 2021 to September 2023. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he also serves in the House of Representatives for the Yamaguchi 3rd district since 2021.

Yoshimasa Hayashi
林 芳正
Official portrait, 2021
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office
10 November 2021 – 13 September 2023
Prime MinisterFumio Kishida
Preceded byToshimitsu Motegi
Fumio Kishida (acting)
Succeeded byYoko Kamikawa
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
In office
3 August 2017 – 2 October 2018
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byHirokazu Matsuno
Succeeded byMasahiko Shibayama
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
In office
23 February 2015 – 7 October 2015
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byKoya Nishikawa
Succeeded byHiroshi Moriyama
In office
26 December 2012 – 3 September 2014
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byAkira Gunji
Succeeded byKoya Nishikawa
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
In office
2 July 2009 – 16 September 2009
Prime MinisterTaro Aso
Preceded byKaoru Yosano
Succeeded byNaoto Kan
Minister of Defense
In office
2 August 2008 – 24 September 2008
Prime MinisterYasuo Fukuda
Preceded byShigeru Ishiba
Succeeded byYasukazu Hamada
Personal details
Born (1961-01-19) 19 January 1961
Shimonoseki, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic Party
ParentYoshiro Hayashi
Alma materUniversity of Tokyo(LLB)
Harvard Kennedy School(MPA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and education

A native of Shimonoseki, Hayashi is the son of late politician Yoshiro Hayashi.[1] He graduated from the University of Tokyo and studied at Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University.

Career
Hayashi with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in February 2022

In the United States, he was a staffer for U.S. Representative Stephen L. Neal and U.S. Senator William V. Roth, Jr. He began his career with Mitsui & Co. Hayashi entered politics as a secretary to his father, Finance Minister Yoshiro Hayashi, in 1992. Around the same time, he was also the member of the policy staff for a US senator. Hayashi was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1995. He represents the fourth generation of politicians in his family and has concentrated on administrative and tax reform since taking office.[2] He is the great-grandson of Akira Tawarada, the founder of Ube Industries in 1942.[3] This company made extensive use of American and Allied POW slave labor in three of their coal mines in Yamaguchi prefecture.[4]

Hayashi was appointed to the Cabinet for the first time as Minister of Defense on 1 August 2008.[5] He held this post for less than two months, however; in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso, appointed on 24 September 2008, Hayashi was replaced by Yasukazu Hamada.[6]

After the LDP returned to power in the December 2012 general election Hayashi was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.[7][8]

On 6 November 2021, his appointment as the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Second Kishida Cabinet was announced.[9]

Hayashi was the first Japanese top diplomat to attend a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels in April 2022.[10] On 13 September 2023, he was removed.

Personal life

He likes karaoke and golf. He plays the guitar and keyboard with LDP colleagues in a band called Gi!nz.[2]

References
  1. "Y. Hayashi to replace Yosano as economic and fiscal policy minister". Japan Policy & Politics. Tokyo. 6 July 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  2. Japan Times, "Fukuda's new lineup", 3 August 2008.
  3. ja:俵田明
  4. "POW Research Network Japan | Researches | POW Camps in Japan Proper".
  5. "Fukuda overhauls Cabinet / LDP executive shakeup also elevates Aso to party No. 2" Archived 3 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, The Yomiuri Shimbun, 2 August 2008.
  6. "Aso elected premier / Announces Cabinet lineup himself; poll likely on Nov. 2" Archived 28 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine, The Yomiuri Shimbun, 25 September 2008.
  7. Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Yoshimasa HAYASHI Archived 26 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 28 November 2013
  8. Nationalism takes back seat to the economy Japan Times, 27 December 2012.
  9. "Japan PM Kishida to tap ex-education minister Hayashi as foreign minister". The Mainichi. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  10. "Japan's top uniformed officer to attend 1st NATO military chiefs meeting". nikkei. 17 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
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