Kohei Otsuka (大塚 耕平, Ōtsuka Kōhei, born 5 October 1959) is a Japanese politician.

[1] A native of Nagoya, Aichi,[2] he attended Waseda University and received a Ph.D. in fiscal and monetary policies and reforms.

[2] After the 2017 general election, then-DP president Seiji Maehara faced intense criticism for his decision to disband the DP caucus in the Lower House and forcing DP members to seek re-election as members of Kibō no Tō, the CDP or as independents.

[4] In May 2018, Otsuka led the DP to merge with Kibō no Tō, forming the DPFP.

This comes after Seiji Maehara and a group of others defected from the DPP due to party leader Yuichiro Tamaki ambivalent stance on if he wishes to join the LDP government or continue as an opposition member.