齊藤栄

Sakae Saito is a Japanese politician currently serving his fifth term as the Mayor of Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture. Born in Tokyo, he graduated from the Tokyo Institute of Technology with a degree in civil engineering and later earned an MBA from Duke University. Before entering politics, he worked for the National Land Agency and served as a policy secretary for members of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. First elected mayor in 2006, Saito has focused on regional development and municipal administration. His tenure has faced significant scrutiny following the 2021 Atami mudslide disaster, which resulted in loss of life and subsequent legal challenges regarding administrative oversight. Although he is an independent politician, he has frequently expressed ideological sympathy for the Japanese Communist Party's focus on citizen-centered governance.