Akiko Okamoto

Akiko Okamoto
岡本 章子
Akiko Okamoto, giving a speech, October 20, 2019
Member of the House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 22, 2017[1][2][3][4]
ConstituencyTohoku PR (2017–2024)
Miyagi 1st (2024–present)
Member of the Sendai City Council
In office
April 1999 – October 2017
ConstituencyTaihaku Ward
Personal details
Born (1964-08-16) August 16, 1964
Iwanuma, Miyagi, Japan[5]
PartyCDP (since 2017)
Other political
affiliations		DPJ (1999–2016)
DP (2016–2017)
Children2
Alma materBachelor of Education, Tohoku University, 1987
OccupationPolitician
WebsiteOfficial Website

Akiko Okamoto (岡本章子) (married name: Yamashita (山下章子)[6]) (born August 16, 1964) is a Japanese politician and a member of the House of Representatives (three terms) for the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP). She has served as a member of the Sendai City Council (five terms) and as an executive officer of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

Early life

She was born in Iwanuma, Miyagi Prefecture on August 2, 1964.[5] Her birth surname is Okamoto, which is her registered politician name. Her real name is Yamashita.[7][a] After graduating from Mukaiyama Kindergarten in Sendai City, she moved to Aomori City, Hirosaki, and then Akita City. She graduated from the junior high school attached to the Faculty of Education and Culture, Akita University. She then entered Akita Prefectural Akita High School in 1980, but transferred to Aomori Prefectural Aomori High School the following year in 1981. In 1982, she transferred to Miyagi Prefectural Second Girls' High School, graduating from the same school in 1983. She graduated from the Faculty of Education at Tohoku University in March 1987. In April of the same year, she began working for NTT East Japan.[8]

Career

She ran as a Democratic Party candidate in the Sendai City Council election (Taihaku Ward) held on April 11, 1999, and was elected for the first time. Since then, she has been elected a total of five times in a row.[5]

In July 2017, she became the prefectural secretary-general of the Democratic Party.[5] The Miyagi Prefectural Chapter of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) had been coordinating with Okamoto and Yuta Ito, a member of the Sendai City Council, to endorse Okamoto for the Miyagi 1st districtin the upcoming House of Representatives election.[9] On September 23 of the same year, the chapter decided to endorse Okamoto.[5] However, shortly thereafter, on September 28, the party decided to merge with the Party of Hope, and on October 3, the Party of Hope announced that it would endorse Ito for the Miyagi 1st district.[9] On October 4, Okamoto stated that she "does not agree with the Party of Hope's method of selecting certain people," and announced her intention to run as a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party.[10] As a result, the Prefectural Committee of the Japanese Communist Party withdrew its endorsement of Okamoto.[11]

In the October 2016 House of Representatives election, Tōru Doi of the Liberal Democratic Party was elected in the Miyagi 1st district, while Okamoto was elected for the first time through proportional representation. Ito of the Party of Hope came in third and lost.[12][13][14]

On September 19, 2020, the Miyagi Prefectural Chapter of the new Constitutional Democratic Party, formed by the merger of the former Constitutional Democratic Party and the former Democratic Party for the People, was launched. Okamoto became its representative.[15]

In the 49th general election for the House of Representatives on October 31, 2021, Okamoto and Doi, endorsed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), Sayaka Harutoshi, endorsed by the Japan Restoration Party (JRP), and independent candidate Yoshie Okusa ran. Although Okamoto lost to Doi in the single-seat constituency, she was re-elected to a second term through proportional representation.[16][17] In the leadership election following the resignation of Representative Yukio Edano (held on November 30), she was one of the supporters of Chinami Nishimura.[18] On December 6, the CDP decided on a new personnel change, with six of its 12 executive officers being women.[19][20] Okamoto was appointed acting head of the Gender Equality Promotion Headquarters, one of the executive officer positions.[21][22] She retired from her executive officer position in August 2022.

On September 30, 2024 , he was appointed Minister of Reconstruction and Fukushima Revitalization in the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan 's next Cabinet.[23]

On October 15 of the same year, the 50th general election for the House of Representatives was announced, with three candidates running: Okamoto, Doi, and Koji Takahashi, a former Kamakura City Council member endorsed by the Japan Restoration Party.[1] The LDP faced headwinds due to scandals involving slush funds, the Unification Church, and the revelation on October 23 of a 20 million yen payment to an unofficial candidate.[24][25][26][27] The general election was held on October 27. Just after the voting closed at 8 p.m., Tohoku Broadcasting Company reported that Okamoto had been certain to win.[28] Okamoto was elected for a third term. The LDP won five seats in the proportional representation Tohoku block. Of the three seats, excluding Eto Satoshi, who came in first, and Chisato Morishita, who came in second, Taku Nemoto was elected with the third-lowest margin of defeat (75.141%), while Doi, who came in fourth (71.150%), lost his seat.[29][30]

Political positions

Constitution

The results of surveys conducted by various media outlets regarding constitutional reform are as follows:

  • 2017 - Responded to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper saying she was "somewhat opposed."[31]
  • 2021 - She responded to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper that she was "rather opposed."[32]
  • 2024 - NHK responded "against" the proposal.[33]
  • 2021, 2024 - Regarding the inclusion of the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9 of the Constitution, in NHK surveys in 2021 and 2024, she answered "against" the idea.[33]
  • 2021, 2024 - Regarding amending the Constitution to include an emergency clause, she responded "against" in a 2021 Mainichi Shimbun survey.[34] She also responded "against" in a 2024 NHK survey.[33]

Diplomacy/Security

  • 2017 - In an Asahi Shimbun survey, she responded that she did not approve of the passage of the security-related legislation.[31]
  • 2021 - In a Mainichi Shimbun survey, she responded that he was “against” the possession of “enemy base attack capabilities."[34]
  • 2021 - In a Mainichi Shimbun survey, when asked what she thought about the deterioration of relations between Japan and South Korea over historical issues such as the forced labor lawsuits, she answered, "The government's current diplomatic policy is fine."[34]

Gender

The results of surveys conducted by various media outlets regarding the introduction of a system of optional separate surnames for married couples are as follows:

  • 2017 - Responded to the Asahi Shimbun in favor.[31]
  • 2021 - Responded to the Asahi Shimbun in favor.[32]
  • 2021 - In response to the question, "Should a bill to promote understanding of sexual minorities, including LGBT people, be passed as soon as possible?" in a 2021 Asahi Shimbun survey, she answered "in favor."[32]
  • 2024 - NHK responded "in favor."[33]

The results of surveys conducted by various media outlets regarding legal reform to allow same-sex marriage are as follows:

  • 2017 - She responded to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, "I can't say either way."[31]
  • 2021 - NHK responded "in favor."[33]
  • 2021, 2024 - Regarding the introduction of a quota system, in NHK surveys in 2021 and 2024, she responded "in favor."[33]
  • 2024 - NHK responded "in favor."[33]

Others

  • 2017 - she answered that she “rather does not approve” of Abenomics.[31]
    • - She responded that she did not approve of the Abe Cabinet's handling of the Moritomo Gakuen and Kake Gakuen scandals.[31]
    • - I would say that I am in favor of postponing the consumption tax hike.[31]
    • - The conspiracy law is not well-received.[31]
    • - I am somewhat opposed to raising the consumption tax rate above 10% in the long term.[31]
    • - Education should be free, from kindergarten and nursery school to university.[31]
    • - Reducing inequality should be prioritized even if it means sacrificing some economic competitiveness.[31]
    • - Government bonds are being absorbed steadily, so there is no need to worry about a fiscal deficit.[31]
  • May 6, 2021 - the government acknowledged for the first time the existence of the "Akagi Files" in the case of the falsification of public documents surrounding the sale of state-owned land to Moritomo Gakuen.[35] However, on May 13, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga wrote to media outlets stating that she would not conduct a reinvestigation in light of the existence of the files.[36] Fumio Kishida, who was elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party in September, also denied the need for a reinvestigation during a representative question session at the House of Representatives plenary session on October 11.[37] In response to a Mainichi Shimbun survey the same year asking what she thought of the government's response, she replied, "Further investigation and explanations should be conducted."[34]

Comment

In February 2018, she criticized the government's work style reform, saying, "Labor legislation has the role of restricting employers so as to ensure the safety and health of workers. A bill that incorporates the logic of those who employ workers will not lead to work style reform."[38]

Supporting organizations

  • The JR Soren as a candidate recommended by the organization.[39]
  • The Information Workers' Union and a former member of the NTT Labor Union.[40][41]

Election history

Notes

  1. ^ Sources clearly state her registered political name is Okamoto. In Japan a married couple must use the same surname; which has caused a lot of debate in recent year. The source says Yamashita is her "real name" without specifying if that is her married or maiden name.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b "衆議院選挙2024 宮城(仙台・石巻など)開票速報・選挙結果 NHK" [2024 House of Representatives Election Miyagi (Sendai, Ishinomaki, etc.) Election Results NHK]. 2024 House of Representatives Election Special Site NHK (in Japanese). 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  2. ^ "国会議員の任期満了日等" [Expiration dates of terms of Diet members, etc.] (in Japanese). Tottori Prefecture Official Website. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  3. ^ "第49 衆議院議員総選挙" [49th General Election of the House of Representatives] (in Japanese). Senkyo. October 31, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  4. ^ "宮城1" [Miyagi 1st district] (in Japanese). Senkyo. October 22, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e "衆院選宮城＞民進１区・岡本氏、２区・鎌田氏の擁立決定" [<Miyagi House of Representatives Election> Democratic Party of Japan nominates Okamoto in District 1 and Kamata in District 2]. Kahoku Shimpō (in Japanese). September 24, 2017. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  6. ^ 平成29年中央選挙管理会告示第26号 [2017 Central Election Commission Notice No. 26] (in Japanese). Official Gazette. October 27, 2017.
  7. ^ a b "岡本あき子（おかもと　あきこ）" [akiko Okamoto] (in Japanese). The House of Representatives, Japan. April 25, 2025. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  8. ^ "About Me" (in Japanese). okamotoakiko.net. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "〈宮城県情勢〉１区・伊藤優太氏が「希望」公認に　民進県連の決定を覆す" [Miyagi Prefecture Situation: Yuta Ito officially endorsed for the 1st district by the Hope Party, overturning the decision of the prefectural branch of the Democratic Party of Japan]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). October 4, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  10. ^ "宮城１区・岡本章子氏が立憲民主に公認申請　２区・鎌田さゆり氏、無所属での出馬検討" [Miyagi 1st District: Akiko Okamoto applies for official endorsement from the Constitutional Democratic Party; 2nd District: Sayuri Kamata considers running as an independent]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). October 5, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  11. ^ "＜衆院選宮城＞１、２区　共産が公認候補取り下げへ" [<House of Representatives Election Miyagi> Communist Party to withdraw official candidate in 1st and 2nd districts]. Kahoku Shimpō (in Japanese). October 5, 2017. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  12. ^ "＜衆院選宮城＞浮沈（上）野党の誤算　立民の風　読み切れず" [<Miyagi Lower House Election> Rise and Fall (Part 1) Opposition parties miscalculate, unable to read CDP's momentum]. Kahoku Shimpō (in Japanese). October 10, 2017. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  13. ^ "＜衆院選宮城＞浮沈（上）野党の誤算　立民の風　読み切れず" [Miyagi - Election Count Report - 2017 House of Representatives Election (House of Representatives Election): Asahi Shimbun Digital]. Asahi Shimbun Digital (in Japanese). 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  14. ^ 平成29年（2017年）10月27日中央選挙管理会告示第26号（平成二十九年十月二十二日執行の衆議院比例代表選出議員の選挙における衆議院名簿届出政党等に係る得票数、当選人の数並びに当選人の住所及び氏名に関する件） [Central Election Commission Notice No. 26, October 27, 2017 (Regarding the number of votes, number of elected candidates, and addresses and names of elected candidates for the parties that submitted the House of Representatives list in the election for proportional representation members of the House of Representatives held on October 22, 2017] (in Japanese). Japan Central Election Commission. October 22, 2017.
  15. ^ "新立民宮城県連が発足　仙台で設立大会" [New Democratic Party of Japan Miyagi Prefectural Federation launched at inaugural meeting in Sendai]. Kahoku Shimpō (in Japanese). September 20, 2020. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  16. ^ "衆議院選挙2021 宮城(仙台・石巻など)開票速報・選挙結果 小選挙区 NHK" [2021 House of Representatives Election: Miyagi (Sendai, Ishinomaki, etc.) Election Results, Single-Seat Constituencies, NHK]. NHK (in Japanese). October 19, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  17. ^ "【2021年 衆院選】東北ブロック(比例区)開票速報" [2021 House of Representatives Election: Tohoku Block (Proportional Representation District) Election Count Report]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  18. ^ "立憲代表選、4陣営の推薦人は計90人　国会議員の7割固まる" [Constitutional Democratic Party leadership election: 90 endorsers from four camps, solidifying 70% of Diet members]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  19. ^ "ジェンダー平等へ、立憲民主党の執行役員は半数が女性　泉氏の公約実現" [Half of the Constitutional Democratic Party's executive officers are women, fulfilling Izumi's campaign promise to promote gender equality]. Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). December 6, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  20. ^ "立民代表選 泉政調会長「党幹部半分を女性に」を公約に" [CDP leadership election: Chairman of the Policy Research Council Izumi pledges to "make half of party executives women]. TBS News (in Japanese). November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  21. ^ "立憲民主党 役員一覧 インデックス" [Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan Executive Committee Index (list of officers)] (in Japanese). Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan Executive Committee. December 13, 2021. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  22. ^ "立民 泉代表 半数6人を女性に 執行役員人事案固める" [Democratic Party leader Izumi finalizes executive officer appointments, with half of the positions to be women]. NHK (in Japanese). December 6, 2021. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  23. ^ "立民「次の内閣」に女性８人" [Eight women in the CDP's "next cabinet"] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 21, 2025. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  24. ^ "＜衆院選・詳報＞全議席確定　大敗の自民191議席、立民は148議席　国民、れいわは大幅議席増" [<House of Representatives Election Report> All seats confirmed: LDP suffers major defeat with 191 seats, CDP wins 148 seats; People's Party and Reiwa Party significantly increase their seats]. Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). October 28, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  25. ^ "旧統一教会と接点、落選　盛山氏「申し訳ない」、牧原氏「私のせい」" [Connections with the former Unification Church led to defeat: Moriyama says "I'm sorry"; Makihara says "It's my fault"]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). October 28, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  26. ^ Yano, Masahiro (October 23, 2024). "裏金非公認に２０００万円 公認と同額　自民本部が政党助成金" [20 million yen in unofficial secret funds LDP headquarters to give political party subsidies equal to official endorsement]. Akahata News (in Japanese). Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  27. ^ "裏金非公認側に2千万円　自民党本部から支部へ　公認候補と同額" [LDP headquarters gives 20 million yen in secret funds to non-official candidates, same amount as officially endorsed candidates]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). October 23, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  28. ^ "【速報】宮城1区・岡本章子さん当選確実　衆議院議員選挙2024" [[Breaking News] Akiko Okamoto, Miyagi 1st District, certain to win the 2024 House of Representatives Election]. Tohoku Broadcasting (in Japanese). October 27, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  29. ^ "自由民主党 東北ブロック 比例代表候補者 衆議院選挙2024 -衆院選- NHK" [Liberal Democratic Party Tohoku Block Proportional Representation Candidates 2024 House of Representatives Election -House of Representatives Election- NHK]. 2024 House of Representatives Election Special Site NHK (in Japanese). 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  30. ^ "比例代表 東北 衆議院選挙 最新ニュース 候補者選挙、開票結果" [Proportional Representation Tohoku House of Representatives Election Latest News, Candidate Election, Vote Count Results]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). October 28, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "岡本章子" [Akiko Okamoto]. 2017 House of Representatives Election Candidate Survey (Joint Survey by Asahi Shimbun and the University of Tokyo's Taniguchi Laboratory) - Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  32. ^ a b c "岡本章子" [Akiko Okamoto]. Asahi Shimbun/University of Tokyo Taniguchi Laboratory Joint Survey - 2021 House of Representatives Election . Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g "てれまさ" [Teremasa]. NHK One (in Japanese). October 22, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  34. ^ a b c d "岡本　章子（57" [Akiko Okamoto (57)]. 49th House of Representatives Election, Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  35. ^ "赤木ファイル」の存在、国側が認める　森友文書改ざん訴訟　確認に1年以上" [Government acknowledges existence of "Akagi Files" in Moritomo document falsification lawsuit; confirmation takes more than a year]. Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). May 6, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  36. ^ Ishii, Junichiro (May 13, 2021). "菅首相、再調査を否定　「赤木ファイル」所在確認も" [Prime Minister Suga denies reinvestigation, even confirms location of "Akagi files"]. Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  37. ^ "岸田首相、森友問題再調査を否定　赤木さん妻「再調査を期待していたので残念" [Prime Minister Kishida denies reinvestigation of Moritomo issue; Akagi's wife says, "I was hoping for a reinvestigation, so I'm disappointed"]. Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). October 11, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  38. ^ "＜裁量制断念＞急転直下の決断　東北国会議員「やむを得ない」「断念は当然」" [Sudden decision to abandon discretionary system: Tohoku Diet members say "it was unavoidable" and "it was only natural to abandon it."]. Kahoku Shimpō (in Japanese). March 2, 2018. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  39. ^ "広報紙280号 第49回衆議院議員選挙 推薦候補結果一覧" [Public Relations Paper No. 280: List of Recommended Candidates for the 49th House of Representatives Election] (in Japanese). Japan Confederation of Railway Workers' Unions. December 31, 2024. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  40. ^ "役員紹介 - 情報労連　東京都協[トピックス" [Introduction to Executives - Information Workers' Union Tokyo Council] (in Japanese). Tokyo Metropolitan Council, Information Workers' Union. 2022. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  41. ^ "頑張ってます、組織内議員！トピックス" [We're working hard, in-house legislators! Topics] (in Japanese). NTT Union. April 7, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
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