seat for 23 years. He was replaced in the House of Councillors by Makoto Hirayama, who had placed third on the party's ballot in the 2007 election. As president of New Party Nippon, he served in the House of Representatives of Japan in the Democratic Party and People's New Party parliamentary groups before becoming an independent (in terms of parliamentary group) in 2012. In the 2012 House of Representatives election, he lost his seat representing Hyōgo's 8th district to Kōmeitō newcomer Hiromasa Nakano – before 2009, the seat had been held by Kōmeitō's former secretary-general, Tetsuzō Fuyushiba. References External links Yasuo Tanaka's profile at New Party Nippon Governors of Nagano Members of the House of Councillors (Japan) Japanese writers 1956 births Living people People from Musashino, Tokyo Hitotsubashi University alumni People's New Party politicians New Party Nippon politicians 21st-century Japanese politicians