Yasukazu Hamada

Political Career

Yasukazu Hamada (b. October 21, 1955) is a prominent Japanese politician and career defense official. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1993 and has held senior positions including Minister of Defense (2008–2009, 2022–2023), Acting Secretary-General of the LDP, and Director-General of the International Bureau. He represents Japan's political establishment's focus on national defense and international relations.

UAP Leadership (2024–2026)

On June 6, 2024, Hamada became chairman of the Parliamentary League for Clarifying Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena from a National Security Perspective—colloquially known as the "UFO Caucus." The body comprises approximately 90 lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba serving as supreme advisor, signaling unprecedented mainstream political support for UAP research in Japan.

Hamada has positioned UAP investigation as a national security matter rather than fringe inquiry. In May 2025, the league formally proposed that Japan's Defense Ministry establish a specialized government division dedicated to collecting, analyzing, and publicly disclosing UAP-related data. Current Defense Minister Gen Nakatani responded positively, indicating the office could be operational by early 2026. Japan's Self-Defence Forces have begun coordinating UFO investigator training with US military officials and standardizing reporting protocols with Pentagon counterparts.

Notable Statements & Philosophy

Hamada has repeatedly called for de-stigmatization of UFO research within science, the military, and public discourse. His signature statement captures this stance: "It is extremely irresponsible of us to be resigned to the fact that something is unknowable, and to keep turning a blind eye to the unidentified." He has also emphasized that institutional response requires closing gaps in data collection and analysis: "It is critically important that we close any gaps in our response to these unexplained aerial events."

Hamada additionally highlighted insufficient budget allocation as a barrier to rigorous investigation, implicitly criticizing decades of dismissive government posture toward the phenomenon. His approach reflects a pragmatic security perspective: investigate systematically with open-minded rigor, disclose findings responsibly, and report progress regularly to elected lawmakers.