Taku Yamamoto (born 1952) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who served in the House of Representatives from 1990 to 1996 and again from 2003 to 2021. He is the husband of Sanae Takaichi, who became Prime Minister of Japan in 2025, making him the first male prime ministerial spouse. Before entering national politics, he was elected to the Fukui Prefectural Assembly in 1983. He is legally known as Taku Takaichi.
Political career
Born in Sabae, Fukui, and a graduate of Hosei University, Yamamoto first won a seat in the Fukui Prefectural Assembly in 1983 and served two terms there. He entered the House of Representatives in 1990 but lost his seat in 1996. He then ran unsuccessfully for governor of Fukui Prefecture in 1999 before being re-elected to the lower house in 2003. He held that seat until losing it in 2021.
Personal life
Yamamoto married Sanae Takaichi, a fellow lower house member, in 2004. The couple agreed to divorce in 2017, with Takaichi citing differing political views and aspirations, but they remarried in December 2021, and he took her surname. His eldest son, Ken Yamamoto, is a member of the Fukui Prefectural Assembly.
Health
Yamamoto was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2024. In 2025 he suffered a cerebral infarction that left the right side of his body unable to move, and Takaichi serves as his carer.