Takayuki Shimizu (politician)

He is serving his first term as a member of the House of Councillors in the National Diet, representing the Hyogo at-large district.

[1] After graduating from Waseda, Shimizu joined the Asahi Broadcasting Corporation as a television announcer, where he was employed for nine years.

[1] From 2006 until March 2010 he also appeared on Asahi radio's Tuesday afternoon program alongside Mieko Kaminuma [ja].

[2] In 2010 Shimizu left Asahi to become a freelance announcer, during which time his work included reporting from areas damaged by the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

However, Shimizu's relatively large margin of defeat in his district meant he finished twelfth amongst his party's candidates and missed out on a seat in the House of Representatives.