Photo/Illutration Hiroyuki Hosoda announces his resignation as Lower House speaker at a news conference on Oct. 13. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Hiroyuki Hosoda, a veteran lawmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party who was called “Dr. Election” because of his expertise in electoral system reforms, has died, it was learned on Nov. 10. He was 79.

Hosoda was elected Lower House speaker in November 2021 but resigned from the post in October this year, citing poor health. Still, he had expressed his intention to run in the next Lower House election.

A native of Matsue and a graduate of the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law, Hosoda was elected to the Lower House 11 times since he won his first seat in 1990.

Hosoda was a bureaucrat of what is now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry before entering politics following his father’s retirement from the Diet.

He was appointed to his first Cabinet post as minister for Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs in 2002.

He became chief Cabinet secretary in 2004 and LDP secretary-general in 2008.

In the LDP, Hosoda served as chairman of what is now the Abe faction for about seven years until he became Lower House speaker.

He admitted that he had attended meetings of organizations affiliated with the Unification Church, now formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, which has come under increased criticism for soliciting large donations from followers.

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