Yoshimasa Hayashi

Yoshimasa Hayashi is a veteran Liberal Democratic Party politician who has served in multiple high-profile cabinet positions—including Minister of Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Education—and has been Chief Cabinet Secretary since December 2023 under Prime Ministers Kishida and Ishiba . A graduate of the University of Tokyo (LLB) and Harvard Kennedy School (MPA), Hayashi began his career in politics with a long tenure in the House of Councillors (1995–2021) before transitioning to the House of Representatives in 2021, where he continues to represent Yamaguchi’s 3rd district .