I am a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of Michigan, specializing in comparative politics. My major research interests are political parties and legislative politics in parliamentary democracies. My regional interests include advanced industrial countries as well as East Asia, with particular emphasis on Japan.

I grew up in Fukui, Japan and graduated from the University of Tokyo with an LL.M. in Law and Politics. I came to Michigan in 2002 and have spent several winter seasons in Michigan, and I now understand what freezing really means. Despite the cold, I enjoy life in Ann Arbor very much. I love to travel around the United States, especially visiting National Parks.

Yellowstone National Park