Kenichiro Ueno is the 30th Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, having taken office on October 21, 2025 in the Takaichi Cabinet. He is also a Member of the House of Representatives for Shiga 2nd District, currently serving his 6th term.
Born on August 3, 1965 in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture, Ueno graduated from Kyoto University, Faculty of Law in 1990. After joining the Ministry of Home Affairs (now part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) as a career official, he worked at Iwate Prefecture and later the Tax Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In his political career, he was first elected to the House of Representatives in the 2005 general election, after previously unsuccessful runs in 2003 and 2004. He has held key roles including Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Senior Vice-Minister of Finance, as well as party roles such as head of the LDP Finance & Financial Affairs Division and Economics & Industry Division.
As Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, Ueno oversees Japan’s health insurance system, labour standards, social welfare policy, health security and the government’s demographic/social challenge initiatives, reflecting his long-standing commitment to public administration reform and financial governance.
