Masamune Wada, Deputy Chairman of the Diet Affairs Committee of the Liberal Democratic Party of the House of Councillors and Member of the House of Councillors

Revitalize the Japanese economy through political power.

Deputy Chairman of the Diet Affairs Committee of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan in the House of Councillors Member of the House of Councillors　Masamune Wada(Masamune Wada)

■ Profile

Born in Tokyo in 1974. Graduated from the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law, Keio University in 1997. That same year, he joined NHK as an announcer, working on news, sports commentary, and program production. He was first elected to the House of Councillors in 2013, and re-elected in 2019. As Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, he drafted the Go To Travel campaign and designed the system. He founded the Liberal Democratic Party Diet Members' League for Expanding Support for Infertility Treatment, and achieved insurance coverage for infertility treatment from April this year.

A former announcer and current politician, Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Masamune Wada is busy working alongside the people and devoting himself to the development of our country. He has introduced policies such as making infertility treatment eligible for insurance coverage and the Go To Travel campaign. His driving force is everyday questions and curiosity. We spoke to Wada about his experiences and outlook as he sets goals and continues to take action.

■After experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake, he transitioned from being a news announcer to a politician

During my university years, I wanted to enjoy campus life through clubs, so I tried my hand at things that interested me, such as the Broadcasting Club, golf, and boxing. From my third year, I studied Japanese diplomatic history under Professor Ikei Masaru, one of the top three ex-seminar students in the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law, Keio University. This is because I had also been attracted to diplomats as a high school student. I felt that a job that involved working overseas and representing the country would be meaningful. At the time, I was more interested in diplomacy than politics itself.

In 1988, I saw the live coverage of swimming athlete Daichi Suzuki winning the gold medal at the Seoul Olympics, and this sparked my desire to become a news announcer. The turning point came in 1995 when the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake struck. This triggered my doubts about the way news announcers at the time responded to the disaster. I wondered if there was more that could be done to protect people's lives. I wanted to become an announcer who could contribute to this, so I joined NHK.

My name, "Masamune," is derived from Date Masamune, so after joining the bureau, I always expressed a preference to be posted to Sendai. I was able to work at the Sendai bureau in my 12th year, but then the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. Seeing so many people shedding tears in the disaster-stricken areas, I felt a strong desire to play a role in implementing policies that were lacking. Then, during the Democratic Party administration, I ran as a candidate endorsed by the People's Party, was elected, and was able to become a politician.

My goal is to be like Mr. Kakuei Tanaka. He was a man who was conscious of development not only in cities but also in rural areas, and tried to enrich the Japanese people. I also take inspiration from former Prime Minister Abe's diplomatic skills and former Prime Minister Suga's ability to get things done. I would like to aim to become Prime Minister and create a nation where the people can live prosperously and safely.

■Implementing innovative initiatives such as insurance coverage for infertility treatment and Go To Travel

Insurance coverage for infertility treatment and the Go To Travel campaign are two of the major policies I've implemented recently. I myself underwent infertility treatment. The total cost was about 400 million yen, which was quite expensive. Many people suffer from infertility in the same way. Infertility treatment is surprisingly close to home. However, until now, infertility was not considered a "disease," so insurance coverage was not available. This led some people to give up on pregnancy due to financial concerns. I felt that this needed to change. Two years ago, I established a parliamentary group within the Liberal Democratic Party. I served as secretary-general, with Representative Seiko Noda (current Minister for State for Countermeasures against Declining Birthrate) as secretary-general and Representative Akira Amari (former LDP secretary-general) as chairman. Then, thanks to the decision of then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, the system was put into place in just one year. This was a breakthrough that addressed a 30-year-old issue for those undergoing infertility treatment.

Aiming to revive the economy, Go To Travel offered a cash back of 50% of the total travel cost. It was a massive campaign with a total budget of 2.7 trillion yen, far exceeding initial expectations. It was designed to support the tourism industry, which had been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. By incorporating regional coupons, the government hoped to contribute not only to inns and hotels, but also to local restaurants and souvenir shops. Since the tourism industry is the core of the local economy, the implementation of the policy had a significant ripple effect. The economic recovery also led to increased car sales. In September, Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, and Subaru recorded record production numbers both domestically and internationally. Go To Travel led to a revitalization of consumption throughout Japan.

■ Without territory, the people cannot be protected

As the Israeli issue shows, a nation cannot exist without territory. Protecting territory and the lives of its citizens is the very reason for a nation's existence. However, Japan's current security cannot be guaranteed if Russia or China attacks. Our national defense is premised on the absence of reckless neighboring countries. As a "defensive defense" policy, it is difficult to shoot down all missiles headed toward Japan. In other words, without the ability to retaliate when an enemy attempts to fire a missile, there will be no fundamental deterrent and the lives of our citizens cannot be protected. The Japanese Constitution was established on the premise that Japan would not possess military forces, but that the U.S. military would defend Japan in the event of an emergency. The constitutions of Japan, Niue, the Cook Islands, and Monaco, among others, do not include any provisions for protecting their citizens. They are among only four countries in the world that do so. This leaves Japan vulnerable to attack by other countries. Some may be concerned that strengthening Japan's defense capabilities could have adverse effects. However, this will not change as Russia and China continue to build up their military power regardless of Japan's involvement. That is why we must focus on protecting our country.

■ massage

Freedom in Japan is based on democracy, which is based on voting. I have voted every time since I was granted the right to vote. As a member of Japan, a democratic nation, I would appreciate it if you would go and vote. You may think that your one vote won't change anything in the world. However, that one vote can make the difference between winning and losing, and it has the power to change society. Once you enter the workforce, you don't have time. This is something you only realize once you enter the workforce. While you're a university student, find something that you can devote yourself to. Anything is fine. Club activities, studies, part-time work, traveling the world, studying abroad. Having something that you devote yourself to will help you in your job search.

Next, have a goal. Once you have a goal, effort and ingenuity will follow. If you don't give up, you can make your dreams come true. Set a goal and take action early on as a student to connect it to your future.

Student Newspaper Online May 16, 2022 Komazawa University 5rd year student Mikamiyama Akari