Akira Kudo (born 1976) is a Japanese journalist with the *Mainichi Shimbun*. Since joining the newspaper in 1999, he has reported from Morioka, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, and Akita, covering topics ranging from Chinese society and international affairs to demographic change and regional communities in Japan. Known for his in-depth, field-based reporting, he has received recognition for investigative journalism, including the Hikita Keiichiro Award for reporting on Japan's undocumented children issue. His best-known book, "Rupo Hito ga Heru Shakai de Okoru Koto: Akita 'Shoshi Korei Kadai-ken' wa Ima" ("Reportage: What Happens in a Shrinking Society"), examines the realities of population decline and rapid aging in Akita Prefecture, offering a compelling portrait of the challenges and possibilities facing local communities in Japan's demographic future.