Date of birth: Jan. 1, 1947

Party: DPJ

Electoral district: Lower House; Kanagawa No. 10 (fourth term)

Jojima became head of the DPJ's Diet affairs committee in January when his predecessor, Hirofumi Hirano, was appointed education minister in Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's first Cabinet reshuffle.

The DPJ reportedly hoped his experience in coordinating policy both in and outside the party would help steer legislative debate in the Diet on such contentious issues as the consumption tax hike.

Jojima won his first Lower House seat in 1996 as a member of the now-defunct Shinshinto (New Frontier Party). He joined the DPJ two years later, after Shinshinto was dissolved in December 1997.

Jojima has held such important DPJ posts as deputy secretary general and deputy chairman of its Policy Research Committee.

He also served as head of the party's special committee on the North Korea abductees issue.