Hiroya Masuda

Who is Hiroya Masuda?

Hiroya Masuda is a Japanese politician who was Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications from August 2007 to September 2008. Unlike many other members of the Cabinet, he is not a member of the Diet of Japan. A native of Tokyo, he graduated from the University of Tokyo and served as governor of Iwate Prefecture from 1995 to 2007. While serving as Iwate's governor, Masuda developed a reputation as a reformist by cutting spending through personnel cuts and took the initiative in introducing an industrial waste tax system. Masuda was reappointed as Minister of Internal Affairs when Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda reshuffled the cabinet on August 1, 2008. In the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso, appointed on September 24, 2008, Masuda was replaced by Kunio Hatoyama.