Group of nonpartisan lawmakers visits Yasukuni Shrine

Group of nonpartisan lawmakers visits Yasukuni Shrine

TOKYO, Japan - Transport minister Yuichiro Hata (C) is pictured after paying homage at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Oct. 18, 2012. To the left is former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Makoto Koga. Lawmakers of a nonpartisan group, including Hata and another Cabinet minister, visited the Shinto shrine dedicated to the war-dead on the occasion of its fall festival.

Construction of new shinkansen route

Construction of new shinkansen route

NAGASAKI, Japan - Japanese transport minister Yuichiro Hata (2nd from R) takes part in a rite to wish for safe construction during a groundbreaking ceremony in Nagasaki on Aug. 18, 2012, as construction of a new shinkansen bullet train route started in Nagasaki Prefecture.

Japan ministers visit war-related shrine

Japan ministers visit war-related shrine

TOKYO, Japan - Lawmakers from various parties, including transport minister Yuichiro Hata (far R), visit Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Aug. 15, 2012. Hata and Jin Matsubara, a state minister in charge of the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals, visited the World War II-related shrine on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in the war, the first by Cabinet members under a government led by the Democratic Party of Japan that came to power in 2009.

Japan ministers visit war-related shrine

Japan ministers visit war-related shrine

TOKYO, Japan - File photo shows transport minister Yuichiro Hata (L) and Jin Matsubara, a state minister in charge of the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals. Hata and Matsubara visited World War II-related Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15, 2012, the anniversary of Japan's surrender in the war, the first visit by Cabinet members under a government led by the Democratic Party of Japan that came to power in 2009.

Japan ministers visit war-related shrine

Japan ministers visit war-related shrine

TOKYO, Japan - Transport minister Yuichiro Hata (L) visits Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Aug. 15, 2012. Hata and Jin Matsubara, a state minister in charge of the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals, visited the World War II-related shrine on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in the war, the first by Cabinet members under a government led by the Democratic Party of Japan that came to power in 2009.

Japan ministers visit war-related shrine

Japan ministers visit war-related shrine

TOKYO, Japan - Jin Matsubara (C), a state minister in charge of the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals, arrives at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Aug. 15, 2012. Matsubara and transport minister Yuichiro Hata visited the World War II-related shrine on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in the war, the first by Cabinet members under a government led by the Democratic Party of Japan that came to power in 2009.

Cabinet reshuffle

Cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO, Japan - Members of Japan's reshuffled Cabinet pose in a group photo session at Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's office in Tokyo on June 4, 2012. Noda replaced five members of the 18-strong Cabinet, newly appointing (from top R to L) Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto, Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Yuichiro Hata, (from bottom R to L) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Akira Gunji, Justice Minister Makoto Taki and Financial Services Minister Tadahiro Matsushita.

Cabinet reshuffle

Cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO, Japan - Yuichiro Hata, Japan's new minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, enters the office of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in Tokyo on June 4, 2012, with Noda naming him to the post in a Cabinet reshuffle.

Cabinet reshuffle

Cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO, Japan - File photos show Yuichiro Hata (L) and Makoto Taki, both of Japan's ruling Democratic Party of Japan. Hata was tapped as land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister, replacing Takeshi Maeda, while Taki was named justice minister, replacing Toshio Ogawa, as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his Cabinet on June 4, 2012.

Hata, his father celebrate victory in Nagano by-election

Hata, his father celebrate victory in Nagano by-election

NAGANO, Japan - Yuichiro Hata (R), 32, a candidate fielded by the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, and his father Tsutomu Hata, the DPJ's secretary general, celebrate the victory of Yuichiro Hata in the Oct. 17 House of Councillors by-election.

Hata, his father celebrate victory in Nagano by-election

Hata, his father celebrate victory in Nagano by-election

NAGANO, Japan - Yuichiro Hata (R), 32, a candidate fielded by the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, and his father Tsutomu Hata, the DPJ's secretary general, celebrate the victory of Yuichiro Hata in the Oct. 17 House of Councillors by-election.