Date of birth: May. 20, 1964

Party: Democratic Party of Japan

Electoral district: Lower House; Fukushima No. 3 (sixth term)

Retaining his Cabinet portfolio, Genba is considered one of the DPJ's young prospective leaders and has distanced himself from Ichiro Ozawa.

He is known as an advocate of fiscal rehabilitation and is familiar with a wide array of policies, including civil service reform. He graduated from Sophia University in 1987, then attended the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management.

A grandson of mayors, Genba was elected in 1991 to the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly. Two years later he won a seat in the Lower House and joined New Party Sakigake the same year. He joined the DPJ in 1998.

Genba supports the income compensation system for farmers to bolster agriculture and regional economies.