並河健

Ken Namikawa is a Japanese politician and former diplomat currently serving as the Mayor of Tenri in Nara Prefecture. Born in Minoh, Osaka, he graduated from the University of Tokyo and served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including a posting at the Embassy of Japan in Egypt. After a brief career in the private sector, he was elected Mayor of Tenri in 2013 and has since secured multiple re-elections. His administration is noted for implementing unique local policies, including performance-based dementia prevention programs, COVID-19 economic support measures, and the introduction of a partnership oath system for same-sex couples. Namikawa has also been active in regional policy and disaster response, notably assisting during the 2022 shooting of Shinzo Abe in Nara.