The president of the House of Councillors (参議院議長, Sangiin-gichō) is the presiding officer of the House of Councillors, the upper house of Japan, and together with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the president is also the head of the legislative branch of Japan. The president is elected by members of the House at the start of each session, and can serve two three-year terms, for a maximum of six years.
| President of the House of Councillors | |
|---|---|
| 参議院議長 | |
House Of Councillors Emblem | |
Incumbent since 11 November 2024Masakazu Sekiguchi | |
| House of Councillors | |
| Style | Mister President (informal) The Right Honourable (formal) His Excellency (Respect) |
| Type | Presiding Officer Head Of Legislative Branch |
| Member of | House of Councillors National Diet |
| Residence | The President's Official Residence |
| Seat | Tokyo |
| Appointer | House of Councillors |
| Term length | Three years; renewable once |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Japan |
| Formation | May 20, 1947 |
| First holder | Tsuneo Matsudaira |
| Deputy | Vice President of the House of Councillors |
The current president of the House of Councillors is Masakazu Sekiguchi, who took office on 11 November 2024.
Selection
The election of the president takes place on the day of the new session, under the moderation of the secretary-general of the House. The president is elected by an anonymous vote, and must have at least half of the votes in order to take office. If no one gets over half of the votes, the top two candidates will be voted again, and if they get the same number of votes, the president is elected by a lottery. The vice president is elected separately, in the same way.
Usually, the president is a senior member of the ruling party, and the vice president is a senior member of the opposition party. The current president, Masakazu Sekiguchi, is a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, while the vice president, Hiroyuki Nagahama, is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
Powers and duties
According to Chapter III Article 19 of the Diet Law, the president "shall maintain order in the House, arrange its business, supervise its administration, and represent the House".
The president is also authorized to maintain order in the House chambers by exercising police power. Upon the president's request, police personnel are sent by the National Police Agency, and are placed under the president's direction. The president may then order arrest or removal of a member of the House or a visitor.
According to Chapter XIV Chapter 116 of the Diet law, when a member of the House of Councillors acts in a disorderly manner, the president can warn them or make them withdraw their statements. If the member does not obey these orders, the president can forbid the member to speak or make the member leave the chamber until the end of the proceedings. If the chamber goes out of control and becomes over chaotic, the president may also temporarily suspend or adjourn the sitting for the day.
List of presidents of the House of Councillors
| Portrait | Name Office (Lifespan) | Term of office | Party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Duration | ||||
| Tsuneo Matsudaira 松平 恒雄 Councillor for Fukushima (1877–1949) | 20 May 1947 | 14 November 1949 | 2 years, 179 days | Ryokufūkai | ||
| Naotake Satō 佐藤 尚武 Councillor for Aomori (1882–1971) | 15 November 1949 | 19 May 1953 | 3 years, 186 days | Ryokufūkai | ||
| Yahachi Kawai 河井 彌八 Councillor for Shizuoka (1877–1960) | 19 May 1953 | 3 April 1956 | 2 years, 321 days | Ryokufūkai | ||
| Tsuruhei Matsuno 松野 鶴平 Councillor for Kumamoto (1883–1962) | 3 April 1956 | 6 August 1962 | 6 years, 126 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Yūzō Shigemune 重宗 雄三 Councillor for National (1894–1976) | 6 August 1962 | 17 July 1971 | 8 years, 346 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Kenzō Kōno 河野 謙三 Councillor for Kanagawa (1901–1983) | 17 July 1971 | 3 July 1977 | 5 years, 352 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Ken Yasui 安井 謙 Councillor for Tokyo (1911–1986) | 28 July 1977 | 7 July 1980 | 2 years, 346 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Masatoshi Tokunaga 徳永 正利 Councillor for National (1913–1990) | 17 July 1980 | 9 July 1983 | 2 years, 358 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Mutsuo Kimura 木村 睦男 Councillor for Okayama (1913–2001) | 18 July 1983 | 22 July 1986 | 3 years, 5 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Masaaki Fujita 藤田 正明 Councillor for Hiroshima (1922–1996) | 22 July 1986 | 30 September 1988 | 2 years, 71 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Yoshihiko Tsuchiya 土屋 義彦 Councillor for Saitama (1922–1996) | 30 September 1988 | 4 October 1991 | 3 years, 5 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Yūji Osada 長田 裕二 Councillor for National PR (1917–2003) | 4 October 1991 | 9 July 1992 | 280 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Bunbē Hara 原 文兵衛 Councillor for Tokyo (1913–1999) | 7 August 1992 | 22 July 1995 | 2 years, 350 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Jūrō Saitō 斎藤 十朗 Councillor for Mie (1940–2025) | 4 August 1995 | 19 October 2000 | 5 years, 77 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Yutaka Inoue 井上 裕 Councillor for Chiba (1927–2008) | 19 October 2000 | 22 April 2002 | 1 year, 186 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Hiroyuki Kurata 倉田 寛之 Councillor for Chiba (1938–2020) | 22 April 2002 | 30 July 2004 | 2 years, 100 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Chikage Oogi 扇 千景 Councillor for National PR (1933–2023) | 30 July 2004 | 28 July 2007 | 2 years, 364 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Satsuki Eda 江田 五月 Councillor for Okayama (1941–2021) | 28 July 2007 | 25 July 2010 | 2 years, 363 days | Democratic | ||
| Takeo Nishioka 西岡 武夫 Councillor for National PR (1936–2011) | 30 July 2010 | 5 November 2011 | 1 year, 99 days | Democratic | ||
| Kenji Hirata 平田 健二 Councillor for Gifu (born 1944) | 14 November 2011 | 28 July 2013 | 1 year, 257 days | Democratic | ||
| Masaaki Yamazaki 山崎 正昭 Councillor for Fukui (born 1942) | 2 August 2013 | 25 July 2016 | 2 years, 359 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Chūichi Date 伊達 忠一 Councillor for Hokkaido (born 1939) | 1 August 2016 | 28 July 2019 | 2 years, 362 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Akiko Santō 山東 昭子 Councillor for National PR (born 1942) | 1 August 2019 | 3 August 2022 | 3 years, 3 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Hidehisa Otsuji 尾辻 秀久 Councillor for Kagoshima (born 1940) | 3 August 2022 | 11 November 2024 | 2 years, 101 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Masakazu Sekiguchi 関口 昌一 Councillor for Saitama (born 1953) | 11 November 2024 | Incumbent | 1 year, 84 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
List of vice presidents of the House of Councillors
| Portrait | Name Office (Lifespan) | Term of office | Party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Duration | ||||
| Jiichirō Matsumoto 松本 治一郎 Councillor for National (1887–1966) | 20 May 1947 | 24 February 1949 | 1 year, 281 days | Socialist | ||
| Kisaku Matsushima 松嶋 喜作 Councillor for National (1891–1977) | 26 March 1949 | 2 May 1950 | 1 year, 38 days | Democratic Liberal | ||
| Jirō Miki 三木 治朗 Councillor for Kanagawa (1885–1963) | 12 July 1950 | 2 May 1953 | 2 years, 295 days | Socialist | ||
| Yūzō Shigemune 重宗 雄三 Councillor for National (1894–1976) | 19 May 1953 | 9 May 1956 | 2 years, 357 days | Liberal | ||
| Yutaka Terao 寺尾 豊 Councillor for Kochi (1898–1972) | 9 May 1956 | 12 June 1958 | 2 years, 35 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Tarō Hirai 平井 太郎 Councillor for Kagawa (1905–1973) | 16 June 1958 | 7 July 1962 | 4 years, 22 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Yōtoku Shigemasa 重政 庸徳 Councillor for National (1895–1977) | 6 August 1962 | 1 June 1965 | 2 years, 300 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Kenzō Kōno 河野 謙三 Councillor for Kanagawa (1901–1983) | 30 July 1965 | 3 August 1968 | 3 years, 5 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Ken Yasui 安井 謙 Councillor for Tokyo (1911–1986) | 3 August 1968 | 17 July 1971 | 2 years, 349 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Yasoichi Mori 森 八三一 Councillor for National (1899–1990) | 17 July 1971 | 7 July 1974 | 2 years, 356 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Kazuo Maeda 前田 佳都男 Councillor for Wakayama (1910–1978) | 27 July 1974 | 28 July 1977 | 3 years, 2 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Kan Kase 加瀬 完 Councillor for Chiba (1910–1995) | 28 July 1977 | 30 August 1979 | 2 years, 34 days | Socialist | ||
| Chōzō Akiyama 秋山 長造 Councillor for Okayama (1917–2010) | 30 August 1979 | 9 July 1983 | 3 years, 314 days | Socialist | ||
| Noboru Agune 阿具根 登 Councillor for National (1912–2004) | 18 July 1983 | 7 July 1986 | 2 years, 355 days | Socialist | ||
| Hideyuki Seya 瀬谷 英行 Councillor for Saitama (1919–2008) | 22 July 1986 | 7 August 1989 | 3 years, 17 days | Socialist | ||
| Akira Ono 小野 明 Councillor for Fukuoka (1920–1990) | 7 August 1989 | 19 April 1990 | 256 days | Socialist | ||
| Ippei Koyama 小山 一平 Councillor for Nagano (1914–2011) | 25 April 1990 | 7 July 1992 | 2 years, 74 days | Socialist | ||
| Misao Akagiri 赤桐 操 Councillor for Chiba (1920–2010) | 7 August 1992 | 4 August 1995 | 2 years, 363 days | Socialist | ||
| Misao Akagiri 松尾 官平 Councillor for Aomori (1927–2013) | 4 August 1995 | 25 July 1998 | 2 years, 356 days | New Frontier | ||
| Hisamitsu Sugano 菅野 久光 Councillor for Hokkaido (1928–2006) | 30 July 1998 | 22 July 2001 | 2 years, 358 days | Democratic | ||
| Shōji Motooka 本岡 昭次 Councillor for Hyōgo (1931–2017) | 7 August 2001 | 25 July 2004 | 2 years, 354 days | Democratic | ||
| Giichi Tsunoda 角田 義一 Councillor for Gunma (1937–2024) | 30 July 2004 | 30 January 2007 | 2 years, 185 days | Democratic | ||
| Akira Imaizumi 今泉 昭 Councillor for Chiba (1934–2021) | 30 January 2007 | 28 July 2007 | 180 days | Democratic | ||
| Akiko Santō 山東 昭子 Councillor for National PR (born 1942) | 7 August 2007 | 30 July 2010 | 2 years, 358 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Hidehisa Otsuji 尾辻 秀久 Councillor for National PR (born 1940) | 30 July 2010 | 16 December 2012 | 2 years, 140 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Masaaki Yamazaki 山崎 正昭 Councillor for Fukui (born 1942) | 16 December 2012 | 2 August 2013 | 230 days | Liberal Democratic | ||
| Azuma Koshiishi 輿石 東 Councillor for Yamanashi (born 1936) | 2 August 2013 | 25 July 2016 | 2 years, 359 days | Democratic | ||
| Akira Gunji 郡司 彰 Councillor for Ibaraki (born 1949) | 1 August 2016 | 1 August 2019 | 3 years, 1 day | Democratic | ||
| Toshio Ogawa 小川 敏夫 Councillor for Tokyo (born 1948) | 1 August 2019 | 3 August 2022 | 3 years, 3 days | Constitutional Democratic | ||
| Hiroyuki Nagahama 長浜 博行 Councillor for Chiba (born 1958) | 3 August 2022 | 1 August 2025 | 2 years, 364 days | Constitutional Democratic | ||
| Tetsuro Fukuyama 福山 哲郎 Councillor for Kyoto (born 1962) | 1 August 2025 | Incumbent | 186 days | Constitutional Democratic | ||
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