Member of the House of Representatives, Former Minister of the Environment Shinjiro Koizumi

"You decide your own path"
Decisions create responsibility and generate great energy.

Member of the House of Representatives Former Minister of the Environment　Shinjiro Koizumi(Koizumi Shinjiro)

■ Profile
Born in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1981. After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at Kanto Gakuin University, he earned a Master's degree in Political Science from Columbia University in 2006. After serving as secretary to House of Representatives member Junichiro Koizumi, he was first elected to the House of Representatives in August 2009. In October 2011, he became Director-General of the LDP's Youth Bureau. He has since held various important positions, and in September 2019, he was appointed Minister of the Environment and Minister of State for Nuclear Disaster Prevention in the Cabinet Office. He was reappointed the following year. In March 2021, he also served as Minister of State for Climate Change. In November 2021, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the LDP's General Council, and is currently serving his fifth term.

What made you want to become a politician?

The reason I went into politics was because I was determined to "make the world a better place," but the deciding factor was my father. When I was a university student, my father, Junichiro Koizumi, ran for the presidency of the LDP. His opponent was Ryutaro Hashimoto, who was the head of his faction at the time, and it was predicted that my father would lose the election. However, he won. My father's victory was an event that made me realize that "the world can change with the voice of the people."
My father also showered me with deep love as a parent and was a kind father at home. I didn't aim to become a politician because my father was a politician, but I think I was able to decide to become a politician because it was the profession of my father, who I respected and who showered love on me.

■Please tell us about the election campaign.

Thirteen years ago, at the age of 28, I ran for the first time in the House of Representatives election. At the time, the LDP had fallen into the opposition, and only four new LDP candidates, including myself, had won the election. I was able to secure victory in my first election, but throughout the campaign I was terrified of going out in public, and honestly, all I remember is the hardships. I was criticized for being a hereditary politician, my speeches were barely listened to, and not only were people refusing to accept my business card, I was even pelted with plastic bottles. Also, while I was making the rounds greeting people in my campaign car, someone came towards me, and I wondered if they were going to ask for a handshake, but they spat on me.
Last year, while I was handing out flyers during election campaigning, I was insulted twice in a row with the words "Go to hell." Being insulted is depressing, and it was a tough experience mentally. However, I think the fact that I was the one who decided to enter politics, knowing that there would be hardships, is what gives me the strength to move forward. It's important to make your own decisions.

■Please give us a message for university students

The most important thing I want to convey is that "you decide your own path." If you leave the decision up to others, you will end up regretting not making the decision yourself when it fails. You may also end up blaming others. Deciding something yourself brings with it responsibility, and that responsibility will surely become a source of energy for you.

Student Newspaper April 1, 2022 Issue by Kokoro Sato, 4nd year student at Tsuda University