Yoshitaka Sakurada Explained
is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).[2] He formerly served as Minister of State for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Fourth Abe Cabinet.
Career
A native of Kashiwa, Chiba, and graduate of Meiji University, Sakurada served in the city assembly of Kashiwa for two terms from 1987 and in the assembly of Chiba Prefecture from 1995. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1996.
His profile on the LDP website:[3]
- Director, Committee on Rules and Administration
- Member, Committee on Fundamental National Policies
- Member, Deliberative Council on Political Ethics
- Deputy Chairman, Diet Affairs Committee of LDP
Sakurada is a board member of the Tokyo Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020) and serves as a political adviser to the Pachinko Chain Stores Association (PCSA).
In October 2018, Sakurada entered the cabinet as the Minister of State for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games. He resigned from the post just six months later, after suggesting that the re-election campaign of a ruling LDP lawmaker was of a higher priority than the 2011 earthquake and tsunami reconstruction effort.[1] [4]
Positions
Affiliated to the openly revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi,[5] Sakurada attended a meeting on March 3, 2014, to seek a review of the Kono Statement and voiced his support for the revision.[6] In January 2016, he said that World War II comfort women were "professional prostitutes. That's business." He apologised later in the day.[7]
Sakurada is a member of the following right-wing Diet groups:
- Nippon Kaigi Diet discussion group (日本会議国会議員懇談会 - Nippon kaigi kokkai giin kondankai)
- Conference of Parliamentarians on the Shinto Association of Spiritual Leadership (神道政治連盟国会議員懇談会) - NB: SAS a.k.a. Sinseiren, Shinto Political League, Shinto Seiji Renmei Kokkai Giin Kondankai
- Parliamentarians Acting to Protect Japanese Territory (日本の領土を守るため行動する議員連盟)
Sakurada gave the following answers to the questionnaire submitted by Mainichi to parliamentarians in 2012:[8]
- in favor of the revision of the Constitution
- in favor of the right of collective self-defense (revision of Article 9)
- against the reform of the National Assembly (unicameral instead of bicameral)
- in favor of reactivating nuclear power plants
- against the goal of zero nuclear power by 2030s
- in favor of the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma (Okinawa)
- in favor of evaluating the purchase of Senkaku Islands by the Government
- in favor of a strong attitude vis-a-vis China
- against the participation of Japan to the Trans-Pacific Partnership
- in favor of a potentially nuclear-armed Japan in the future
- against the reform of the Imperial Household that would allow women to retain their Imperial status even after marriage
Remarks
- Despite being deputy chief of the government's cyber-security strategy office, Sakurada admitted to the Japanese Diet in November 2018 that he had never used, and did not know how to use, a computer.[9] [10]
- At the forum in Tokyo, Sakurada said that "I was aiming for the position of Prime Minister in the past, but I cannot speak English and I cannot use a personal computer, so I will give up on it.".[11] [12]
- Sakurada often makes mistakes in speech and has strange pronunciation, so people in his hometown of Kashiwa call him "Tetsuro Degawa of Kashiwa".[13] [14]
- During the election of the House of Representatives, Sakurada who was speaking was suddenly attacked by an unemployed man who was drunk.[15]
- Prior to taking office as Minister, Sakurada had put on his official site a cartoon depicting his life.[16] [17]
Sakurada is first Minister for Kashiwa and Abiko.
- After 7th Ticad at Yokohama, Sakurada insists that "50 votes from African countries are required for Japan to become a Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.".[18]
References
- News: . Japan's gaffe-prone Olympics minister resigns. Kyodo News . Tokyo, Japan. 10 April 2019. 10 April 2019.
- Web site: http://www.senkyo.janjan.jp/diet/profile/0000/00000102.html . ja:政治家情報 〜桜田 義孝〜 . ザ･選挙 . . 2007-10-20 . ja . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090709082732/http://www.senkyo.janjan.jp/diet/profile/0000/00000102.html . July 9, 2009 .
- Web site: SAKURADA Yoshitaka . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180108072108/https://www.jimin.jp/english/profile/members/121008.html . 2018-01-08 . 2018-11-24 .
- News: . Olympics minister Sakurada expresses intention to resign over gaffes. The Mainichi . Tokyo, Japan . 10 April 2019. 10 April 2019.
- Nippon Kaigi website
- "河野談話見直し、文科副大臣が集会で賛意 菅長官が注意" - Asahi Shimbun - March 4, 2014
- http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/ldp-lawmaker-says-comfort-women-were-prostitutes LDP lawmaker says 'comfort women' were prostitutes
- Mainichi 2012: senkyo.mainichi.jp/46shu/kaihyo_area_meikan.html?mid=A12008005005
- "桜田大臣「自分でPC打たない」 サイバー担当なのに... " - FNN Prime - November 14, 2018
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/15/japan-cyber-security-ministernever-used-computer-yoshitaka-sakurada System error: Japan cyber security minister admits he has never used a computer
- Web site: 桜田義孝五輪相「首相目指すのやめる」 根底に英語への劣等感. INC. SANKEI DIGITAL. 2018-12-20. 産経ニュース. ja. 2019-01-10.
- Web site: 「英語できず首相無理」 桜田五輪相. 日本経済新聞 電子版. 20 December 2018 . ja. 2019-01-10.
- Web site: 人呼んで"柏の出川哲朗" 言い間違え「桜田五輪相」. デイリー新潮. 21 November 2018 . ja. 2019-04-11.
- Web site: PC使ったことない桜田五輪相 大学受験失敗からの処世術. 「週刊文春」編集部. 文春オンライン. 2019-04-11.
- Web site: 演説中の候補者殴った疑い 千葉県警、男を逮捕. INC. SANKEI DIGITAL. 2017-10-12. 産経ニュース. ja. 2019-04-11. 2019-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20190411033743/https://www.sankei.com/affairs/news/171012/afr1710120001-n1.html. dead.
- Web site: 桜田よしたか物語. 2019-04-11. 2016-02-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160204005523/http://sakurada-yoshitaka.jp/wp-content/themes/main/images/sakurada_monogatari.pdf. dead.
- Web site: 実はボンボン 桜田大臣"大工あがりの叩き上げ"は経歴詐称｜日刊ゲンダイDIGITAL. 日刊ゲンダイDIGITAL. 21 November 2018 . ja. 2019-04-11.
- Web site: 桜田義孝元五輪相「失言なんかしたことありません」と新失言. NEWSポストセブン. ja. 2019-09-16.
External links
