Mineo Kaneda

is a politician from Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan who represents the Japanese Communist Party. He has served one term in the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly and contested several local and national elections.

Early life and career Kaneda was born in Kobe, Japan on 25 August 1965. After graduating high school he attended Nihon Fukushi University and completed a bachelor's degree in social welfare. After graduation he was employed at the Hyogo Medical Practitioners Association, where he was involved in getting cataract surgery added as a procedure covered by the prefecture's health insurance.

Political career Kaneda first developed an interest in politics when a charter bus carrying Nihon Fukushi University students plunged into the Sai River in January 1985, killing the two drivers, a teacher and 22 first-year students. The cause of the accident was determined as driver fatigue due to being overworked. Kaneda, who was also a first-year student at the time, felt anger at a society that prioritised profit over human life, and felt it necessary to value the dignity of human life.

During his political career Kaneda has become the face of the Communist Party within Hyōgo Prefecture. He has contested a total of four prefectural assembly elections, two national House of Representatives elections and one gubernatorial election. Kanada will contest the district for a second time at the July 2016 election.