小林一大

Kazuhiro Kobayashi is a Japanese politician and Buddhist monk affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party, currently serving as a member of the House of Councillors. After graduating from the University of Tokyo and working for Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance, he served as a member of the Niigata Prefectural Assembly for four terms. In 2024, he was appointed as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense and Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Cabinet Office. Politically, he supports constitutional reform, including the explicit mention of the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9, and advocates for strengthening Japan's defense capabilities and security alliances.