Key Facts
• Deputy Governor Daisuke Otsuka (52) to resign by June 2025.
• Successor likely Masakazu Terada (53), Ministry of Internal Affairs official.
• Personnel proposal expected at June 26 Kagoshima Prefectural Assembly.
• Deputy governor term: 4 years; Otsuka resigns with 2 years remaining.
• Otsuka, appointed July 2023, addressed avian flu and other local issues.
• Terada, University of Tokyo graduate, served as Kagoshima General Affairs Director (2014-2018).
• Kagoshima deputy governors from national ministries typically serve 2-3 years.
• Male officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs have been appointed under Governor Koichi Shiota.
Summary
Daisuke Otsuka, Deputy Governor of Kagoshima Prefecture, will step down at the end of June 2025, leaving two years of his four-year term. His successor is expected to be Masakazu Terada, a senior official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The personnel proposal will likely be presented at the June 26 Prefectural Assembly. Otsuka, who took office in July 2023, has tackled various local issues, including avian influenza outbreaks. Terada, a University of Tokyo graduate, has extensive experience in local governance, including a prior role as Kagoshima’s General Affairs Director from 2014 to 2018. This transition aligns with the prefecture’s tradition of appointing deputy governors from national ministries for 2-3 year terms. Under Governor Koichi Shiota, male officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs have consistently been selected for the role.
