Emiko Okuyama Explained

Emiko Okuyama
Native Name Lang:Japanese
Predecessor:Katsuhiko Umehara
Successor:Kazuko Kōri
Birth Date:23 June 1951
Birth Place:Akita, Japan
Termstart:August 22, 2009
Termend:August 21, 2017

Emiko Okuyama (born June 23, 1951) is a Japanese politician. She served as the mayor of Sendai from 2009 to 2017.

Career

Okuyama was born in Akita City, Japan on June 23, 1951. Her father was a public official, and when Okuyama was a child he would often take her around the country with him.[1] After graduating from Tohoku University's economics department, she began working in the Sendai City town hall. She rose through many positions in the city government until being appointed the vice mayor in 2007.[2] [3]

In July 2009, Okuyama ran for Sendai City mayor with the support of the Democratic Party of Japan and the Social Democratic Party of Japan. She was the first woman to become elected mayor of a major Japanese city.[4] [5]

In the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Okuyama was recognized by the German Sustainability Award in 2012.[6] She also has spoken before the United Nations about Sendai's disaster-recovery efforts and plans to increase the city's disaster preparedness.[7]

Okuyama was re-elected on August 11, 2013, overcoming Tatsuya Kadono of the Japanese Communist Party.[8] In 2017, Okuyama decided to retire, and chose not to run for office again.[9] Although she had backed Hironori Sugahara in his campaign for the mayoral position, Kazuko Kori was elected the Mayor of Sendai instead.[10]

References

  1. http://shinbun.fan-miyagi.jp/article/article_20150214.php 仙台市長の奥山恵美子さんに聞く:社会って、そもそも何だろう?/社会って、そもそもなんだろう?|宮城の新聞
  2. News: 奥山副市長も合否連絡 仙台市教員採用合否. 2008-07-19. 2012-01-19. 河北新報.
  3. Web site: PROFILE. www.women.co.jp. 2019-02-06.
  4. http://www.shikoku-np.co.jp/national/political/20090724000355 奥山氏優位、岩崎氏追う 仙台市長選26日投票
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20090731124311/http://sankei.jp.msn.com/region/tohoku/miyagi/090728/myg0907280237000-n1.htm 仙台市長選
  6. News: 奥山市長が「ドイツ持続可能賞 名誉賞」を受賞しました. 2012-09-18. 2014-12-21. 仙台市役所. https://web.archive.org/web/20141221093136/http://www.city.sendai.jp/report/2012/1205253_1414.html. 2014-12-21. dead.
  7. News: Sendai mayor offers disaster lessons to U.N.. 2014-07-11. The Japan Times Online. 2019-02-06. en-US. 0447-5763.
  8. News: Okuyama secures second term as Sendai mayor. 2013-08-11. The Japan Times Online. 2019-02-06. en-US. 0447-5763.
  9. Web site: 〈奥山市長引退へ〉「仙台に新たな選択を」. 2017-04-08. 河北新報. 2017-04-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20170409201537/http://www.kahoku.co.jp/tohokunews/201704/20170408_11051.html. 2017-04-09. dead.
  10. http://mainichi.jp/senkyo/articles/20170724/k00/00m/010/069000c?inb=ys 仙台市長選 郡和子氏が初当選 自公敗北、加計問題影響

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