高岡利治

Toshiharu Takaoka is a Japanese politician currently serving as the Mayor of Minamata City in Kumamoto Prefecture. Born in 1958, he was a competitive swimmer in his youth and later worked as a physical education teacher and a secretary to a prefectural assembly member. Takaoka served three terms as a member of the Minamata City Council before being elected mayor in 2018. During his tenure, he has focused on local tourism initiatives, including the appointment of ambassadors to promote the city, and has navigated complex local issues regarding the historical legacy of Minamata disease, including the city's stance on international film portrayals of the subject.