平田研

Ken Hirata is a Japanese politician and former bureaucrat currently serving as the 21st Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture. A graduate of the University of Tokyo, he spent much of his career in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, where he held senior positions including Director-General of the Real Estate and Construction Economy Bureau. He previously served as Vice Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture from 2018 to 2023. Elected governor in February 2026, Hirata focuses on economic revitalization, child-rearing support, and infrastructure development, including the promotion of the 'Nagasaki Security Coast' initiative to bolster regional industries such as shipbuilding and semiconductors.