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Minoru Kihara

Minoru Kihara

Minister in charge of Mitigating the Impact of U.S. Forces in Okinawa of Japan

Appears in 2 stories

Born: 1969 (age 56 years), Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan
Previous offices: Minister of Defense of Japan (2023–2024) and Member of the House of Representatives of Japan (2005–2009)
Education: Waseda University
Office: Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan
Party: Liberal Democratic Party
Previous campaigns: 2026 Japan House of Representatives Kumamoto Prefecture District 1 election, 2026 Japan House of Representatives Kyushu proportional representation block election, 2024 Japan House of Representatives Kumamoto Prefecture District 1 election, and more

Notable Quotes

On Chinese complaints about JASDF flights, Kihara said Japan would "respond calmly but firmly and continue to monitor the movements of Chinese forces in the waters around our country." ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/chinese-carrier-holds-air-drills-as-tokyo-beijing-trade-barbs-4394857?utm_source=openai))

"Authorities are doing their utmost to assess the damage, implement emergency disaster response measures such as search and rescue operations, and provide timely and accurate information to the public." — Monday evening briefing

Stories

China–Japan radar row turns East China Sea and Taiwan tensions into an open crisis

Force in Play

Government spokesperson and coordinator for Japan’s crisis messaging

In early December 2025, China's Liaoning carrier strike group sailed through waters near Japan's southwest island chain and into the western Pacific. Over two days, between Okinawa's main island and Minamidaito and then east of Kikai Island, it conducted roughly 100 take-offs and landings of J-15 fighters and helicopters.

Updated 6 days ago

Magnitude 7.5 earthquake strikes off northern Japan, triggering tsunami warnings and mass evacuations

Built World

Providing public updates on damage assessment

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake — revised upward from an initial estimate of 7.5 — struck 100 kilometers off Japan's Iwate Prefecture on Monday afternoon, shaking communities along the same Sanriku coastline where tsunamis killed tens of thousands in 1896, 1933, and 2011. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings for waves up to three meters and ordered evacuations for nearly 172,000 people across five prefectures. Observed waves peaked at 80 centimeters at Kuji Port, well below the forecast level, and all tsunami warnings were lifted by Tuesday morning. At least 26 buildings were damaged in Aomori Prefecture and around 200 power outages were reported across the affected area.

Updated Apr 21