Minister for the Abduction Issue

The Minister for the Abduction Issue (拉致問題担当大臣, daijin), is the Cabinet of Japan member in charge of the issue of North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens. The minister is responsible to the Headquarters for the abduction issue (拉致問題対策本部, rachimondaitaisakuhonbu).

As of december 2023, the minister in charge of the abduction issue is HAYASHI Yoshimasa

List of ministers for the abduction issue

#	Image	Name	Took office	Left office	Cabinet
21st century
01		Yasuhisa Shiozaki	September 26, 2006	August 27, 2007	Shinzō Abe
02		Kaoru Yosano	August 27, 2007	September 26, 2007	Shinzō Abe
03		Machimura Nobutaka	September 26, 2007	August 2, 2008	Yasuo Fukuda
04		Kyoko Nakayama	August 2, 2008	September 24, 2008	Yasuo Fukuda
05		Takeo Kawamura	September 24, 2008	September 16, 2009	Tarō Asō
06		Hiroshi Nakai	September 16, 2009	September 17, 2010	Yukio Hatoyama Naoto Kan
07		Minoru Yanagida	September 17, 2010	November 22, 2010	Naoto Kan
08		Yoshito Sengoku	November 22, 2010	January 14, 2011	Naoto Kan
09		Kansei Nakano	January 14, 2011	September 2, 2011	Naoto Kan
10		Kenji Yamaoka	September 2, 2011	January 13, 2012	Yoshihiko Noda
11		Jin Matsubara	January 13, 2012	October 1, 2012	Yoshihiko Noda
12		Keishu Tanaka	October 1, 2012	October 23, 2012	Yoshihiko Noda
13		Osamu Fujimura	October 24, 2012	December 26, 2012	Yoshihiko Noda
14		Keiji Furuya	December 26, 2012	September 3, 2014	Shinzō Abe
15		Eriko Yamatani	September 3, 2014	October 7, 2015	Shinzō Abe
15		Katsunobu Katō	October 7, 2015	December 2023	Shinzō Abe
16		Yoshimasa Hayashi	December 2023	Incumbent	Fumio Kishida