Minister of State and Member of the House of Representatives Naokazu Takemoto

Japan in the world as seen through studying abroad in the US!
What politicians see as Japan's future

■Profile

Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1940. Graduated from the Faculty of Law, Kyoto University. Employed as a senior national civil servant, he later completed graduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University as a government-sponsored student. After working for the Ministry of Construction, he ran for the House of Representatives in the 1996 general election and was first elected. In 2005, he became State Minister of Finance. In 2019, he became Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, Intellectual Property Strategy, Cool Japan Strategy, and Space Policy, and Minister of State for Information and Communications Technology Policy.

■What was your student life like?

Originally, I wanted to be a politician.
However, I wasn't good at speaking in front of people, so in high school I joined the debate club and worked hard to overcome this weakness.
My most memorable experience was studying abroad in the United States. I traveled 6,000 kilometers by car for two weeks and gave speeches in English. I realized that if I didn't speak honestly and confidently, people wouldn't really listen to me.

■What motivated you to become a politician and what are your current activities?

I was interested in moving society forward.
When I first saw the Americas, I wondered why Japan had gone to war with this country. Japan at the time was like a frog in a well. If we didn't look outside, we could lose the battle. That's why I thought we had to always keep an eye on the world and lead it in the right direction.
Currently, he is working hard to ensure that the 2025 Osaka World Expo is a success, attracting people from all over the world.
In the end, we were competing with Russia to host the Expo, but we won by 92 to 62. I realized that in order to motivate people, it is important to blend in with their manners and atmosphere and make them feel a sense of camaraderie.
Japan has also won 18 Nobel Prizes this century, second only to the United States.
However, it is possible that this number will not increase in the future. Fewer people are writing papers, and fewer students are going on to study science. That's why we're creating a Minister's Award to recognize these people, and we're encouraging companies to actively hire people who have earned a doctorate.

■What kind of students would you like to work with?

We are currently recruiting interns for the National Diet, and we would like students who are quick on their feet and can act quickly. In today's world, we are looking for people who can do things quickly, rather than taking their time.
At this year's Coming of Age Ceremony, I said, "Young people, please have dreams." Even when you're in a difficult or tough situation, if you have dreams, you can endure it. You can do your best.
We live in an age of individuality. Don't just be a cog in the machine, but make sure you make the most of your individuality and make the most of it.

From the April 20, 2020 issue of the Student Newspaper (Hideki Anzai, third-year student at Komazawa University)