leads the environmental policy committee in the lower house of Parliament, a day before the DPJ leadership elections. After being selected as the new prime minister, Kan reaffirmed Okada as foreign minister. As foreign minister, Okada was one of the chief participants in negotiations with the United States (US) over the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Okinawa. The Foreign Ministry under Okada also confirmed the existence of a long-rumored secret pact between Japan and US which had allowed the US military to carry nuclear weapons into Japanese territory in contravention of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan. The previous administration under the LDP had denied that such a pact existed. In a September 2010 cabinet reshuffle, Okada was moved from foreign minister to secretary general of the DPJ. Okada, who is viewed as an intraparty ally of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, is believed to have been given the role of secretary general in order to secure Kan's influence in the governing party, as well as to help force the passage of government bills in parliament. Okada ran in the DPJ leadership election held in January 2015 after former president Banri Kaieda resigned after losing his seat. Okada won and returned as DPJ leader after a period of nine years. In 2016, he remained as leader when the Democratic Party of Japan merged with the Japan Innovation Party to become the Democratic Party. Following the party's defeat at the House of Councillors election in July, he announced that he would not seek re-election as leader at the party's annual meeting in September. He was many times interviewed by Sekai Nippo, the official newspaper of the Unification Church, an anti-communism new religion. He does not support marriage equality. Other interests Okada is said to be an avid collector of frog knick knacks, which decorate his office. See also Aeon Group Chunichi Shimbun - Japanese left-leaning local newspaper. His younger brother Masaya Takada is an employee of the newspaper. New Frontier Party Neoliberalism Sekai Nippo References External links for Okada |- |- |- |- |- |- 1953 births Living people Aeon Group Deputy Prime Ministers of Japan Foreign ministers of Japan Government ministers of Japan Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) People from Yokkaichi Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) politicians New Frontier Party (Japan) politicians 20th-century Japanese politicians Sun Party politicians Good Governance