Education: graduated from Faculty of Law, the University of Tokyo
Career: 　1968/4  　1977/7  　1983/12 　1993/8  　1998/7  　2002/10  　2006/9  　2007/8  　2010/7 　2011/1 　2011/6	Associate judge, Tokyo District Court Associate judge, Chiba Family Court Associate judge, Yokohama District Court Diploma in Law, the University of Oxford elected to the House of Councillors, National Constituency Member, House of Representatives, Okayama No.1 Constituency (elected to the House of Representatives, four consecutive times) Minister of State for Science and Technology reelected to the House of Councillors  Chairman, Committee on Fundamental National Policies Chairman, Committee on Discipline elected President of the House of Councillors reelected to te House of Councillors (elected fourth since) Minister of Justice Minister of the Environment
Political Parties:
1977/5  　1978/3  　1985/2  　1994/6  　2003/12  　2004/7   　2010/9  　 2011/9	President, Socialist Citizens’ League Vice-President, United Social Democratic Party President, United Social Democratic Party Vice-President, Japan New Party Vice-President, the Democratic Party of Japan President, the Democratic Party and the Shin-Ryokufukai (DP-SR) in the House of Councillors  Supreme Adviser, the Democratic Party of Japan Chair, Ethics Committee Supreme Adviser of DPJ
Current Responsibilities: 　Lawyer 　Counsellor, Okayama City Swimming Federation 　Counsellor, Japanese Society for Preservation of Birds 　President, Japan-China Friendship center
Family: Wife: Mrs. EDA Kyoko, one daughter and two sons
Literary works: 　“A Memorandum for a Start”, “A Member of the National Diet” (both in Japanese)
Hobbies: Swimming, Calligraphy

(As of July, 2010)