Junko Mihara Explained
Junko Mihara |
Native Name: | 三原 じゅん子 |
Native Name Lang: | ja |
Term Start: | 26 July 2010 |
Constituency: | National PR block
Kanagawa at-large district |
Birth Date: | 1964 9, df=y |
Birth Place: | Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan |
Nationality: | Japanese |
Spouse: | Masahiro Matsunaga (1990–1999) Nobuya "Koala" Miyatani (1999–2007) |
Website: | http://www.miharajunco.org/ |
is a Japanese politician, and was formerly a singer, actress, and racing driver. She is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Entertainment career
Mihara made her debut as a teenager in the 1979 television series Kinpachi-sensei, and began a singing career in 1980. Her first hit sold more than 300,000 copies.[1]
In 1987, she began competing in auto racing. Mihara drove a Toyota Corolla in the Japanese Touring Car Championship from 1990 to 1991, sharing the car with her husband Masahiro Matsunaga and Shinichi Yamaji.[2] [3] From 1992 to 1995, she raced in the Spa 24 Hours in Belgium, followed by the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship with Kumi Sato in 1996 and 1997; Mihara and Sato were co-drivers in the 1995 Spa 24 Hours.[4] In 1998, she and Sato participated in the American Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.[5] Mihara remained involved in racing—particularly the JGTC's successor Super GT—after entering politics, serving as the secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party's Parliamentary League for Motorsports.[6]
Mihara underwent treatment for cervical cancer later in her life, and established a nursing home in March 2010 prior to her political debut.
Political career
Mihara ran in the House of Councillors election in July 2010 as a proportional candidate of the Liberal Democratic Party[7] and won, campaigning on her experience with women's health issues. She first appeared in the Diet on 30 July 2010.[8] She was elected to a seat representing the Kanagawa at-large district in the July 2016 election.[9]
Positions within the LDP:[10]
- Deputy Director, Health, Labor and Welfare Division of LDP
- Deputy chairman, Committee on Organizations Involved with Labor of LDP
- Acting Director, Public Speeches Division of LDP
- Vice-Chairman, Committee on Organizations Involved with Health and Welfare of LDP
Controversies
Mihara is in favor of visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.[11]
In March 2015, when speaking about dealing with tax evasion she urged Prime Minister Shinzō Abe to promote hakkō ichiu, a slogan meaning "the world under one roof".[12] [13] Although it is controversial as it was used during the WW2 for patriotism, she explained it as "an ethic which Japan has valued since its genesis".[14] It is true that hakkō ichiu has long history and its first appearance is in "Nihon Shoki", the second oldest history book in Japan.
External links
Notes and References
- News: Narioka. Kosaku. LDP's Celebrity Winner Eyes Serious Role. 12 July 2016. Wall Street Journal Japan Real Time. 13 July 2010.
- Web site: 鈴鹿スーパーツーリングカー500Kmレース フリー走行. Motorsports Forum. 5 July 1992. 16 September 2020. Japanese. Suzuka Super Touring Car 500Km Race Free Running.
- Mihara. Junko. Driver's Salon Interview with Junko Mihara. Driver's Meeting. 16 September 2020. Japanese.
- Sato. Kumi. Driver's Salon Interview with Kumi Sato. Driver's Meeting. 16 September 2020. Japanese.
- News: Glick. Shav. De Ferran Is Right at Home on the Long Beach Circuit. Los Angeles Times. 3 April 1998. 16 September 2020.
- News: Yoshida. Tomohiro. 【KYOJO-CUP】大会会長の三原じゅん子参議院議員が選手たちを激励. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. 16 May 2017. 16 September 2020. Japanese. [KYOJO-CUP] Junko Mihara, the chairman of the tournament, encourages the players.
- http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/actress-junko-mihara-to-run-in-upper-house-election Actress Junko Mihara to run in upper house election April 10, 2010
- Martin, Alex DPJ, Kan in hot seat as Diet opens Japan Times Retrieved 2 June 2016
- News: Actress Mihara wins seat for LDP in Kanagawa Prefecture. 12 July 2016. Japan Times. Kyodo. 10 July 2016.
- Profile on LDP's website jimin.jp/english/profile/members/114704.html LDP Members – Junko Mihara Retrieved 2 June 2016
- Web site: http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/topics/news/20100815-OHT1T00295.htm
. ja:三原じゅん子議員が靖国神社を参拝 . . 2010-08-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100827171332/http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/topics/news/20100815-OHT1T00295.htm . 2010-08-27 . ja.
- Web site: LDP lawmaker urges Abe to spread wartime slogan . . 2015-03-17 . 2021-04-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050411/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201503170064 . 2016-03-04.
- Web site: Wartime slogan should stay buried . . 2015-03-24 . 2016-06-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200124154854/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2015/03/24/editorials/wartime-slogan-should-stay-buried/ . 2020-01-24.
- Web site: INC . SANKEI DIGITAL . 2015-04-03 . 【正論】三原じゅん子の「八紘一宇」発言 その本義とは… 大原康男国学院大名誉教授(1/4ページ) . 2023-11-29 . 産経ニュース . ja.