Mayor of Yokosuka, Katsuaki Uechi

Yokosuka, a city that uses change as its driving force

Mayor of Yokosuka City, Katsuaki Kamiji

■ Profile
Graduated from Kanagawa Prefectural Yokosuka High School in 47
Graduated from the School of Commerce at Waseda University in 52
Joined Nichiryo Co., Ltd.
53: Secretary to Seiichi Tagawa, Member of the House of Representatives
　　　　　Appointed Vice Chairman of Kanagawa Prefecture Public Relations Committee of the New Liberal Club
In 58, he ran for the Kanagawa Prefectural Assembly election as the youngest candidate from Miyamae Ward, Kawasaki City.
62: Ran for the Kanagawa Prefectural Assembly election from Yokosuka City
15: First elected to Yokosuka City Council (elected four times)
20: Visited the United States as leader of a delegation to investigate nuclear aircraft carriers
In 23, the "Yokosuka City Basic Ordinance for the Promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises" was proposed.
In 24, the "Yokosuka City Regional Support Ordinance" was proposed.
In 25, the New Wing Yokosuka Regional Sovereignty Council was launched.
In 29, he became the 37th Mayor of Yokosuka.
Inaugurated as the 38th Mayor of Yokosuka in 03
In 07, he became the 39th Mayor of Yokosuka City, a position he continues to hold to this day.

"I don't want to see people crying," says Yokosuka Mayor Katsuaki Kamiji, who has launched one policy after another. In addition to making childcare free and reforming school lunches, he is aiming to streamline internal city operations by using ChatGPT across the entire city, a first in the country. As a city with a military base, Yokosuka is a city where multinational cultures thrive, and he is building a new identity. We spoke to him about his path to becoming mayor and his message to university students.

During my university days, I was a student who was completely focused on politics and had little interest in anything else. I felt a strong sense of discomfort with the unfair reality, and wanted to create a society where people could live with smiles, not one where they cried. This desire led me to want to change Japan and get involved in politics. I actively participated in reform movements, gathered friends in Yokosuka, and continued to be present at elections and political activities. I wanted to become prime minister one day and change the world. That was the kind of resolve I had as I pushed forward.
After graduating from university, I didn't immediately go straight into politics. My mentor advised me that I needed to learn about the world first, rather than immediately becoming a secretary, so I joined a private company. My experience in accounting and finance, learning about business management on the ground, has been a great asset in my subsequent political career. I believe that being able to understand the logic of both the public and private sectors is essential in turning policies into reality.
After that, encouraged by my friends and young people in Yokosuka, I joined the city government as a city council member. Even now, as mayor, I don't see politics as an end in itself. It's a means to help others, a tool to make society even a little better. Correcting injustice and creating a society where people can live with smiles on their faces. That feeling hasn't changed since my student days.

■ Yokosuka, a city where nature, history, and diversity overlap

Yokosuka is a city that has both a "good urban feel and a good rural feel." It is rich in nature, yet has urban functions, and the sense of distance between people is just right. Furthermore, as a city with a military base, multinational cultures are integrated into everyday life. A major feature of this city is that foreigners are not seen as something special, but rather live together as a part of life.
Because of the city's environment, where people of diverse nationalities come into contact with one another on a daily basis, English education is not something special. It is not limited to the classroom, but is naturally rooted as a form of learning that is connected to everyday life. People from diverse backgrounds come together, and it is these differences that give rise to mutual support. Yokosuka has the soil for such a situation.
The history and culture of the Miura Peninsula are also important resources for this city. I have been working hard to reshape Yokosuka's identity. We need to reexamine the history and value of the region, put it into words, and give it form. This is not just for tourism, but also to build a foundation for the people who live here to feel that "the meaning of being in Yokosuka" is real.
Yokosuka's appeal extends beyond its nature and history. The city's strength lies in the environment itself, where people from diverse backgrounds intersect and values ​​mingle. It is precisely because of these differences that we see the need to help each other. We can move closer to a society where communities are valued and people support each other. Yokosuka has great potential as a stage for this.

■ Policies that support daily life, evolving administration

As mayor, my greatest priority is the happiness of the people who live in Yokosuka. I have made it my top priority to create an environment where our 37 citizens can live in peace. This is because I believe that strengthening people's lives on the inside, rather than making flashy appeals to the outside world, leads to the sustainability of the city.
Based on this idea, we have been steadily implementing what we can in the fields of child-rearing, education, and welfare. There is no magic bullet that will turn things around in policy. It is a process of gradually making daily life easier. We have been implementing measures one by one, such as gradually making kindergarten and nursery school fees free, making medical care free for children up to the third year of junior high school and removing income restrictions, creating after-school spaces, starting full-service school lunches at junior high schools, promoting a digital environment in educational settings, and introducing digital libraries.
Additionally, Yokosuka City is particularly focusing on digital transformation. Personally, I believe it's important not to be afraid of change, but to turn it into strength and move forward. And because government is a world where precedents and procedures tend to overlap, if we don't change the way we do things, people will become exhausted. We leave the administrative work to technology, and people can focus on people. I believe that the role of government is to create this environment. As part of this, Yokosuka City has become the first in the country to begin using ChatGPT citywide.
On the other hand, the more we have to do, the more we are constantly faced with the challenges of how to raise funds and how to deal with national systems. I feel that there are still major barriers to overcome regarding the nature of authority and funding. That is why I want to build on what Yokosuka can do, rather than relying on the framework of the national or prefectural governments. We are working with the spirit of becoming independent as a region, in cooperation with surrounding municipalities on the Miura Peninsula.
I don't like static situations, so I'm the type of person who runs at full speed every day. Policies are merely tactics. That's why I keep taking all the steps I can. I'll keep running, with the feeling that if I stop, it's over.

■Message to university students

Have a goal, even if it's small. Without a goal, your life will feel empty. It doesn't have to be something concrete like a job title. What gives you life? What is your individuality? I want you to think about what you want to value. That will be the foundation of your life.
Furthermore, we live in an age where information is comprehensively provided by AI. This is why subjectivity born from one's own experiences is so important. It may seem biased from the perspective of AI, but I believe that it is precisely because of bias that people are able to live their own lives.
If you change your way of thinking, the door to your destiny will open. Don't be afraid to change your direction, and live your life believing in yourself. I believe that living your life to the fullest, striving for happiness, will lead to a life of well-being.

Student Newspaper Online, June 26, 2026, Interview by Tsuda University 3rd year student, Karin Ishimatsu

Musashino Art University, 1st year student Ishii Seizo / Tokyo Woman's Christian University, 2nd year student Ukita Risa / Tsuda University, 3rd year student Ishimatsu Karin / Denenchofu Futaba High School, 3rd year student Ito Rinka