Mr. Hiroshi Nakada, who served as a panelist at last year's Yamada Nishiki Contest panel discussion, has run for the Toyama 1st District of the House of Representatives.
He is the former Mayor of Yokohama and served as the Vice Minister of the Environment and Vice Minister of the Cabinet Office in the Ishiba Cabinet.
During the panel discussion, he spoke passionately (perhaps too passionately?) about his concerns for Japanese rice and his deep love for Junmai-shu.
I wish him the very best in his endeavors.
Toyama Prefecture is a place I personally love; the fish is delicious, the sushi is superb, and there are many wonderful inns.
I hope he works hard not only for Toyama but for the sake of Japan as a whole to make the region even more attractive.