title: Kazuya Shimba
text: # Kazuya Shimba
  
  Kazuya Shimba (榛葉 賀津也, Shinba Kazuya, born April 25, 1967) is a Japanese politician, the general-secretary of the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP). He is serving as a member of the House of Councillors.
  
  ## Early life
  
  Kazuya Shinba was born in Ogasa District, Shizuoka. His father, Tatsuo Shinba (榛葉達夫) was served as the governor of Kikugawa.
  
  ## Education
  
  After graduating from a high school in Shizuoka, he attended Otterbein College, Ohio and then he pursued his graduate study at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
  
  ## Political career
  
  He was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2001, after serving in the town assembly of Kikugawa, Shizuoka. In 2009, he was appointed to the post of Deputy Minister of Defence by the Minister of Defence, Toshimi Kitazawa.
  
  