Manabu Horii

Manabu Horii, born on February 19, 1972, is a distinguished former speed skater and politician from Japan. He made his mark in the world of sports by winning an Olympic bronze medal in 1994 and competing in the Winter Olympics of 1998 and 2002. After a successful career on the ice, Horii concluded his speed skating journey in 2002.

Transitioning from athletics to politics, Horii represented Noboribetsu in the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2007 to 2012. His political career gained momentum when he was elected as the LDP candidate for Hokkaido's ninth district in the 2012 general election, aiming to succeed the retiring Democrat Yukio Hatoyama.

However, in July 2024, Horii made headlines by leaving the LDP. His political journey took a tumultuous turn on August 28, 2024, when he resigned from the House of Representatives amid a scandal involving the distribution of condolence money to constituents for funerals he did not personally attend, which violated election laws.