Tatsuo Kawabata

is a former Japanese politician from the Democratic Party. A native of Ōmihachiman, Shiga, he attended Kyoto University and received a master's degree from it. His elder brother is former mayor of Ōmihachiman Gohei Kawabata.

Early life Born in Gamō-gun, Shiga Prefecture (now Ōmihachiman city). He graduated from Shiga Prefectural Hikone East High School, Kyoto University Faculty of Engineering. He joined Toray after completing a master's program at the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University. Besides being involved in development research, he also worked on the trade union movement.

Political career

Kawabata served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) from 1986 to 2012 and from 2014 to 2017.

In September 2011 Kawabata was appointed as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications in the cabinet of newly appointed prime minister Yoshihiko Noda. He was relieved from the post on 1 October 2012. In September 2017, Kawabata announced that he would not run in the 2017 general election and would retire from politics.