Norihiko Akagi

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Norihiko Akagi (born April 18, 1959) is a former Japanese politician from the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Makabe, Ibaraki Prefecture, he graduated from the University of Tokyo and worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 1983 to 1988. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1990 and served until 2009, representing Ibaraki Prefecture (Ibaraki 3rd district, then Ibaraki 1st district).

In June 2007, after the suicide of his predecessor Toshikatsu Matsuoka, Akagi became Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Within about two months, he was involved in a political funding scandal over spending on an office that did not exist and was asked to issue receipts; he refused. He resigned on August 1, 2007. Masatoshi Wakabayashi, the Minister of the Environment, served concurrently as minister until a cabinet reshuffle on August 27, when Takehiko Endo was named Akagi's successor.

Akagi is the grandson of former politician Munenori Akagi.