船田元

Hajime Funada is a veteran Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives for the 15th term. Born in 1953, he comes from a prominent political family and has held various high-level positions, including Minister of State for Economic Planning. Throughout his career, Funada has been a significant figure in constitutional reform discussions within the Liberal Democratic Party, often positioning himself as a moderate voice on social issues such as selective separate surnames for married couples and the promotion of gender equality. Despite his long tenure, he has faced controversy, including a 2015 incident regarding the selection of constitutional experts and a 2023 administrative sanction involving a facility he managed. He remains an influential figure in the Diet, currently serving as a senior advisor to the election headquarters of the Motegi faction.