Kiyomi Tsujimoto
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese politician
from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), formerly the Japan Socialist Party.
, Tsujimoto graduated from the Department of Education at Waseda University
in Tokyo
.
While still an undergraduate in 1983, Tsujimoto founded the Peace Boat
with fellow university students and pacifist activists, such as Makoto Oda
, the Representative of Beheiren
("Betonamu ni Heiwa o Shimin Rengo" — Citizen's League for Peace in Vietnam). Peace Boat is a grass-roots international friendship organization, 'works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment' by organizing educational global voyage. With its growing international recognition and support, it attained the Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. As a Japan-based group it criticizes the Japanese government's silence on its aggressive past; the Peace Boat's first voyage was to countries that had been invaded by Japan in World War II
and it has consistently worked for reconciliation between Japan and these countries. Its passengers also met Yasser Arafat
several times; because of its support for the Palestinian causes, Israel
refused the Peace Boat entry into the country in 2002. Tsujimoto also worked in Osaka
as a non-profit organization
coordinator, and attended the Earth Summit
held in Rio de Janeiro
in 1992 representing an NGO.
, in a coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party
(LDP) and the New Party Sakigake
. However the LDP returned to power in 1996 and the JSP collapsed, with most of its members eventually leaving to join the Democratic Party of Japan. Chairwoman Doi
reformed the JSP into the Social Democratic Party (SDP); she personally asked Tsujimoto to run in Osaka
, as a part of her reform of the SDP to increase representation of women and put stronger emphasis on grass-roots activism, and she was elected to the House of Representatives
. As an opposition MP, she rose to fame as a vocal critic of the conservative, ruling Liberal Democratic Party and played an integral role in enacting legislations concerning domestic violence, gender equality, child pornography and activities of non-profit organizations. With growing popularity as a young, charismatic politician, she was chosen as one of the Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum
in 2000.
Tsujimoto has also argued for dialogue rather than confrontation with North Korea, proposing that the North Korean abductions of Japanese
can best be solved by "embedding North Korea as a member of international society".
during the scandals that emerged in 2002. Suzuki was ultimately jailed for fraud.
But, as a result of internal tensions between newcomers and veterans in the SDP, a staff member of the Democratic Party of Japan
who had formerly worked for the SDP accused Tsujimoto of using her secretary's government salary to cover campaign expenses. Tsujimoto admitted unauthorised use of funds, resigned her seat in the Diet, and was given a suspended sentence.
Her political career was not over. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the House of Councillors
in the 11 July 2004 elections, but won a proportional representation seat for the House of Representatives in the 11 September 2005 elections
that also returned Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi
to power.
Suzuki's political fate has run parallel to Tsujimoto's. He also ran unsuccessfully in 2004 for a seat in the House of Councillors but was subsequently elected to the House of Representatives in 2005.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), formerly the Japan Socialist Party.
Early career
Born in the city of Nara, NaraNara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
, Tsujimoto graduated from the Department of Education at Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
While still an undergraduate in 1983, Tsujimoto founded the Peace Boat
Peace Boat
is a global non-government organization headquartered in Japan established for the purpose of raising awareness and building connections internationally among groups that work for peace, human rights, environmental protection and sustainable development. "Peace Boat" may also refer to one of the...
with fellow university students and pacifist activists, such as Makoto Oda
Makoto Oda
was a Japanese novelist, peace activist, academic and Time Asian Hero.-Early life and career:Oda was born in Osaka in 1932 and graduated from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Letters program, majoring in classical Greek philosophy and literature...
, the Representative of Beheiren
Beheiren
Beheiren was a Japanese activist group that existed from 1965 to 1974. As a coalition of a few hundred anti-war groups it protested Japanese assistance to the United States during the Vietnam War.-Accomplishments:They claim to have helped 20 U.S...
("Betonamu ni Heiwa o Shimin Rengo" — Citizen's League for Peace in Vietnam). Peace Boat is a grass-roots international friendship organization, 'works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment' by organizing educational global voyage. With its growing international recognition and support, it attained the Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. As a Japan-based group it criticizes the Japanese government's silence on its aggressive past; the Peace Boat's first voyage was to countries that had been invaded by Japan in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and it has consistently worked for reconciliation between Japan and these countries. Its passengers also met Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
several times; because of its support for the Palestinian causes, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
refused the Peace Boat entry into the country in 2002. Tsujimoto also worked in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
as a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
coordinator, and attended the Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
held in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in 1992 representing an NGO.
Political career
In 1994, the Japan Socialist Party (JSP) came to power under Tomiichi MurayamaTomiichi Murayama
is a retired Japanese politician who served as the 81st Prime Minister of Japan from June 30, 1994 to January 11, 1996. He was the head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan and the first Socialist prime minister in nearly fifty years...
, in a coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
(LDP) and the New Party Sakigake
New Party Sakigake
The New Party Sakigake was a Japanese political party that broke away from the Liberal Democratic Party on June 22, 1993. The party was created by Masayoshi Takemura. The party, was a centrist party, and it had many reformist and even moderate ecological elements. The theoretical reader was...
. However the LDP returned to power in 1996 and the JSP collapsed, with most of its members eventually leaving to join the Democratic Party of Japan. Chairwoman Doi
Takako Doi
was a prominent Japanese politician from 1980 until her retirement in 2005.Doi was born in Hyōgo Prefecture and graduated from Doshisha University, where she studied law. She was elected to the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Diet, as a member of the Japan Socialist Party in 1969,...
reformed the JSP into the Social Democratic Party (SDP); she personally asked Tsujimoto to run in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, as a part of her reform of the SDP to increase representation of women and put stronger emphasis on grass-roots activism, and she was elected to the House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...
. As an opposition MP, she rose to fame as a vocal critic of the conservative, ruling Liberal Democratic Party and played an integral role in enacting legislations concerning domestic violence, gender equality, child pornography and activities of non-profit organizations. With growing popularity as a young, charismatic politician, she was chosen as one of the Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
in 2000.
Tsujimoto has also argued for dialogue rather than confrontation with North Korea, proposing that the North Korean abductions of Japanese
North Korean abductions of Japanese
The abductions of Japanese citizens from Japan by agents of the North Korean government happened during a period of six years from 1977 to 1983. Although only 17 Japanese are officially recognized by the Japanese government as having been abducted, there may have been as many as 70 to 80...
can best be solved by "embedding North Korea as a member of international society".
Scandal, resignation, and comeback
Kiyomi Tsujimoto was one of the chief antagonists of the beleaguered Muneo SuzukiMuneo Suzuki
Muneo Suzuki is a Japanese politician from Ashoro, Hokkaidō. He is typically referred to as "Muneo", because his last name, "Suzuki", is one of the most common names in Japan.- Early career :...
during the scandals that emerged in 2002. Suzuki was ultimately jailed for fraud.
But, as a result of internal tensions between newcomers and veterans in the SDP, a staff member of the Democratic Party of Japan
Democratic Party of Japan
The is a political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several opposition parties. Its socially liberal platform is generally considered center-left in the Japanese political spectrum...
who had formerly worked for the SDP accused Tsujimoto of using her secretary's government salary to cover campaign expenses. Tsujimoto admitted unauthorised use of funds, resigned her seat in the Diet, and was given a suspended sentence.
Her political career was not over. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the House of Councillors
House of Councillors
The is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or designation of the prime minister, the House of Representatives...
in the 11 July 2004 elections, but won a proportional representation seat for the House of Representatives in the 11 September 2005 elections
Japan general election, 2005
A general election in Japan was held on 11 September 2005 for all 480 seats of the House of Representatives of Japan, the lower house of the Diet of Japan, almost two years before the end of the term taken from the last election in 2003...
that also returned Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party , he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the...
to power.
Suzuki's political fate has run parallel to Tsujimoto's. He also ran unsuccessfully in 2004 for a seat in the House of Councillors but was subsequently elected to the House of Representatives in 2005.
External links
- Peace Boat Web site
- "Tsujimoto throws her hat into ring", 17 August 2005, The Japan TimesThe Japan TimesThe Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
- "Tsujimoto bares teeth, licks wounds" 28 March 2002, Mainichi Daily News
- What's all this, eh? by Eric Johnston, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan
- Kiyomi Tsujimoto, part II by Eric Johnston, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan