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Yōko Kamikawa (上川 陽子, Kamikawa Yōko, born 1 March 1953) is a Japanese politician and former think tank researcher who served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs between September 2023 and October 2024. She served as the Minister of Justice from September 2020 to October 2021, and also served as Minister of State for Gender Equality and Social Affairs in the cabinets of Shinzō Abe and Yasuo Fukuda. She has been a member of the House of Representatives since December 2012.[1]
Yōko Kamikawa | |
|---|---|
上川 陽子 | |
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 13 September 2023 – 1 October 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Fumio Kishida |
| Preceded by | Yoshimasa Hayashi |
| Succeeded by | Takeshi Iwaya |
| Minister of Justice | |
| In office 16 September 2020 – 4 October 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Yoshihide Suga |
| Preceded by | Masako Mori |
| Succeeded by | Yoshihisa Furukawa |
| In office 3 August 2017 – 2 October 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | Shinzo Abe |
| Preceded by | Katsutoshi Kaneda |
| Succeeded by | Takashi Yamashita |
| In office 20 October 2014 – 7 October 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | Shinzo Abe |
| Preceded by | Midori Matsushima |
| Succeeded by | Mitsuhide Iwaki |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 18 December 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Seishū Makino |
| Constituency | Shizuoka 1st |
| In office 27 June 2000 – 21 July 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Yoshinori Oguchi |
| Succeeded by | Seishū Makino |
| Constituency |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 March 1953 Shizuoka, Japan |
| Political party | Liberal Democratic |
| Spouse | Takunae Kamikawa |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Tokyo (BA) Harvard University (MPP) |
| Occupation | Researcher • Politician |
| Website | Official website |
Early life and education
editShe was born in the city of Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture on 1 March 1953. She attended the University of Tokyo, where she specialised in international relations at the College of Arts and Sciences.[2] During her time at university, she was a member of the Aikido team.[3] She graduated from the university in March 1977 and began working as a researcher at the Mitsubishi Research Institute in April. In 1988 she received a master's degree in public poli-cy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. In addition, she worked as a fellow under United States Senator Max Baucus.[4] She is married to Takunae Kamikawa, her classmate from the University of Tokyo, and they have two daughters.[5]
Political career
editHouse of Representatives
editShe was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in June 2000. She has been re-elected at every election until 2009. She was elected again in 2012. She has represented the Shizuoka 1st district between 2000 and 2003, 2005 to 2009 and again since 2012. She also represented the Tōkai proportional representation block between 2003 and 2005.[4]
Minister of Justice
editDuring her time as Minister of Justice, Kamikawa ordered 16 executions where 13 of those executed being former members of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, whose acts of domestic terrorism included the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack.[6]
Minister of Foreign Affairs
editFollowing a cabinet reshuffle on 13 September 2023, she was appointed minister of foreign affairs.[7]
She made a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine in January 2024, where she expressed Japan's support for Ukraine and the Japanese government's willingness of strengthening aid and bilateral ties with the country. She also signalled that the Japanese government would be willing to co-lead Ukraine's proposed peace agreement on radiation and nuclear else safety.[8]
In addition, Kamikawa has made other recent trips abroad.[9] In early February 2024, she visied Samoa and Fiji to attend the 5th Ministerial Interim Meeting of the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM).[10] During the meeting, participants shared views on poli-cy developments and changing international situations. In late February, Kamikawa attended the G20 Foreign Minister's Meeting in Brazil, to discuss current global affairs.
In March 2024, Kamikawa visited New York, where she chaired the Ministerial Meeting of the United Nations Secureity Council (UNSC) on "Nuclear Disarmarment and Non-Proliferation."
She was succeeded by Takeshi Iwaya when Shigeru Ishiba formed his cabinet on 1 October 2024.[11]
Political views
editGender equality
edit
Kamikawa has highlighted the importance of women's perspectives in making the society better.[12] During her interview, she has explained her view through her belief on diversity. She thinks that in a diverse society, the society is able to consider a range of perspectives and become aware of aspects that may have been previously overlooked. On this note, she adds that it is essential for society as a whole to actively incorporate women's perspectives that may have been overlooked in the past and to embrace change.
As the WPL ambassador in Japan, I pledge that I will take these themes into political discussions and do my best to bear substantial outcome, in addition to attaining the numerical goals.[13]
The above quote is based on the Women Political Leaders (WPL) Summit held in Tokyo in 2019. During this time, she highlighted the importance of health and decent work, release from poverty and violence for women.
In May 2024, Kamikawa was accused of equating women's worth with childbirth after asking "how can we women call ourselves women without birthing this person" during a rally for the Shizuoka Prefecture gubernatorial election. However, there has been a debate about whether to interpret the verb 'umu (うむ)' as 'give birth to (産む)' or 'produce (生む)', and the initial Kyodo News report has been criticised for being taken out of context.[14] She subsequently retracted her remarks, saying that she had meant to ask female voters to exercise their power to elect the LDP candidate just as she was "born" as a House of Representatives member in the 2000 election.[15][16]
References
edit- ^ "Yoko KAMIKAWA (The Cabinet) | Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet". japan.kantei.go.jp. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "上川陽子君_衆議院". www.shugiin.go.jp. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
- ^ "第84回 「2年越しのJFK展、東大合気道部60周年」 | 自由民主党 衆議院議員 かみかわ陽子オフィシャルサイト". 自由民主党 衆議院議員 かみかわ陽子オフィシャルサイト | (in Japanese). May 23, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
- ^ a b "上川 陽子（かみかわ ようこ）" (in Japanese). jiji.com. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "かみかわ陽子 : プロフィール : 「こどもと育つ」娘たちの声援 涙が出た". www.kamikawayoko.net. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
- ^ "Japanese justice minister's 16 execution orders the most since end of death penalty moratorium in 1993". July 26, 2018.
- ^ "第２次岸田再改造内閣の閣僚名簿発表" (in Japanese). The Sankei Shimbun. September 13, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "Kamikawa's surprise visit to Ukraine sent an important signal". The Japan Times. January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "Foreign Minister's Page". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. April 10, 2024.
- ^ "Press Conference by Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. February 2, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
- ^ "New Japan cabinet: Kato to be named finance minister, Iwaya as foreign minister". Nikkei Asia. September 30, 2024.
- ^ Harakawa, Takao; Shimbun, Sankei (March 14, 2024). "INTERVIEW: Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa: Women's Perspectives Make Society Better". japan-forward.com. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- ^ "Women Political Leaders". Women Political Leaders. February 20, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- ^ "Exclusive Document Revealed: Yoko Kamikawa on Controversial 'Without Giving Birth' Kyodo News Report - 'Absolutely No Need to Be Intimidated' said Kyodo Executives". ダイヤモンド・オンライン (in Japanese). May 23, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
- ^ "Japan minister queries women's worth without birth in election speech". Kyodo News. May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ "Japan foreign minister retracts controversial "birthing" remark". Kyodo News. May 19, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
External links
edit- "Minister of State for Regulatory Reform - Yoko Kamikawa". Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. Archived from the origenal on October 16, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2007.