Kozo Yamamoto

is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who is a former Ministry of Finance official, and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He served as State Minister in charge of: Regional Revitalization; Regulatory Reform; Administrative Reform; City, People, Job-Creation; and Civil Service Reform from 2016 to 2017. Previous posts include Vice Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (in the 2006 cabinet of Shinzo Abe), Chairman of the Judicial Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, Chairman of the Special Commission on Consumer Issues, and Chairman of the Special Commission on Regional Revitalization.

He is known to be one of the main fathers of Abenomics. A native of Yukuhashi, Fukuoka, Yamamoto attended the University of Tokyo and received his MBA from Cornell University in the United States. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1993 after an unsuccessful run in 1990.

Tatsuo Murayama, Yamamoto's father in law, was an LDP member of the House of Representatives who served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Health and Welfare. His uncle, Momotaro Yanagida, was mayor of the City of Moji (Fukuoka Prefecture) and a member of the House of Representatives.

Early life and career Yamamoto was born in the city of Moji, in Fukuoka Prefecture. He lived in Fukuoka until graduating from Miyako High School in 1967. He would later join the Ministry of Finance immediately upon graduating from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Economics in 1971. During his time at the ministry, Yamamoto studied abroad for two years at Cornell University's Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, where he acquired his MBA in 1975. After his return to Japan, he was stationed as head of the Iwakuni Tax Office in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Yamamoto subsequently took various postings within the Ministry of Finance and a visiting researcher position at Harvard University's Center for International Affairs, until 1987 when he took the role of head secretary for then Minister of Finance and future Prime Minister, Kiichi Miyazawa. He also began lecturing at Kyushu International University in 1991.

Consumption tax Yamamoto proposed the consumption tax increase of April 2014 to Abe Shinzo, and advised swift action. He also advocated for basic allowances and various public-works projects for low-income earners (among other economic policies) through a revised budget that matched the tax increase. After citing unexpected economic indicators, however, Yamamoto proposed a postponement of further consumption tax increases and concomitant policies in October of the same year.

Affiliated organizations and diet caucuses Nippon kaigi kokkaigiin kondankai 日本会議国会議員懇談会 Japan National Informal Gathering of Diet Members. Shintou seijirenmei kokkaigiin kondankai 神道政治連盟国会議員懇談会 Shinto All-party Parliamentary Group Informal Gathering of Diet Members. Minna de yasukunijinja ni sanpai suru kokkaigiin no kai みんなで靖国神社に参拝する国会議員の会 Group-visit to Yasukuni Shrine Diet Members' Assembly. TPP koushou ni okeru kokueki wo mamorinuku kai TPP交渉における国益を守り抜く会 Committee on Protecting National Interests Throughout TPP Negotiations. Defure・endakakaishou wo kakujitu ni suru kai Committee on Ensuring the Resolution of Deflation And a High-Valued Yen. (Chairman). Nihonmyanmaa yuukou giinrenmei Japan-Myanmar Friendship Diet Caucus. (Secretary-General).

Books Toyo no kuni, kitakyushu ni tatsu , Standing for Northern Kyusyu: the Land of Abundance, 1988. Nihon hakyoku no shinario , Scenarios of The Collapse of Japan (Co-authored), 1995. Nihon wo sukuu kokkaironnsen , Tactics in Parliament That Can Save Japan, 1997. Keikikaifuku no kagi wa nichigin ni ari! The Key to an Economic Comeback Lies in The Bank of Japan! Nihonkeizaisaisei ni mukete nani wo subekika What is to be done for Japanese Economic Recovery. Ichimonittou・tokutei chouteihou Q&A on The Special Settlement Act (Editor), 2000. Saikenhouki koso, keikikaifuku no kagi da! Debt Forgiveness is The Key to an Economic Comeback! Nichigin ni tsunbusareta nihonkeizai , The Japanese Economy: Ruined by The Bank of Japan, 2010.