Shinji Wakayama

is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.

Early years On 15 July 1973, Wakayama was born in Gōdo, Anpachi District, Gifu. In 1997, while studying at Ibaraki University, he joined the office of Tetsuma Esaki. Upon graduating from the university in March of the same year, he became Esaki's secretary.

Political career On 5 October 2024, Esaki announced his retirement from politics. On 6 October, The LDP Aichi Prefectural Federation nominated Wakayama as Esaki's successor.

In the 2024 general election, Wakayama lost to CDP's Norimasa Fujiwara only by 162 votes but won a seat on the PR.

In the 2025 LDP presidential election, he endorsed Takayuki Kobayashi as a recommender.

In October 2025, he was appointed as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Cabinet Office in the First Takaichi cabinet.

In the 2026 general election, he defeated CRA incumbent Fujiwara. After the election, he was reappointed as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Cabinet Office in the Second Takaichi cabinet.