Takeshi Noda (野田 毅, Noda Takeshi, born October 3, 1941) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a former member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).

Background and career

A native of Tokyo and graduate of the University of Tokyo he joined the Ministry of Finance in 1964. In 1972 when his father-in-law Takeo Noda died, he left the ministry to run for Takeo Noda's seat and was elected for the first time. Later, he served as the Minister of Construction in 1989 (Uno Cabinet), Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy (Miyazawa Cabinet), Minister of Home Affairs (Obuchi Cabinet), Chairman, General Assembly of Party Members of the House of Representatives of LDP.^[1] Noda served in the House of Representatives for 16 terms, until he lost reelection in the Kumamoto 2nd district in 2021.^[2]

Positions regarding key issues

Noda gave the following answers to the questionnaire submitted to lawmakers by Mainichi in 2012:^[3]

• in favor of the revision of the constitution
• in favor of collective-self-defense (which implies a revision of the Article 9)
• in favor of the reform to a unicameral legislative system
• in favor of a strong stance versus China
• the possibility of a nuclear-armed Japan should be considered in the future
• in favor of the reactivation of nuclear plants, against the goal of zero-nuclear energy by 2030
• against the reform of the Imperial Household that would allow women to retain their Imperial status even after marriage
• in favor of relocating the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa
• against the Trans-Pacific Partnership

Noda was also the chairman of the pro-tobacco lobby in the Japanese Diet:^[4]