Touch swipe table right/left to view.
Noda Cabinet (Formed September 2, 2011)
HEALTH, LABOR AND WELFARE MINISTER
Yoko Komiyama
Date of birth: Sept. 17, 1948
Party: DPJ
Electoral district: Lower House; Tokyo No. 6 (fourth term)
Komiyama, a former NHK newscaster, started her career in politics by entering the Upper House in 1998.
The Tokyo native and Seijo University graduate switched to the Lower House in 2003 by winning the Tokyo No. 6 seat, representing Setagaya Ward.
At NHK, Komiyama covered labor, women and family issues. When the DPJ was still in opposition, Komiyama held several positions in the shadow Cabinet, including the environment, justice, human rights and consumer affairs portfolios.
As a mother of three sons, Komiyama has been stressing the importance of maintaining the monthly child allowance, one of the DPJ's major campaign pledges.
Under Naoto Kan's first Cabinet, Komiyama served as a senior vice health minister.
Subsequent changes