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Junko Mihara

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Junko Mihara
三原 じゅん子
Official portrait, 2022
Minister for Policies Related to Children, Declining Birthrate, Youth's and Women's Empowerment, Gender Equality and for Loneliness and Isolation
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 October 2024
Prime MinisterShigeru Ishiba
Preceded byAyuko Kato
Member of the House of Councillors
Incumbent
Assumed office
26 July 2010
ConstituencyNational PR block
(2010-2016)
Kanagawa at-large district
(2016-present)
Personal details
Born (1964-09-13) 13 September 1964 (age 60)
Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic Party (2010–present)
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1990; div. 1999)​

​
​
(m. 1999; div. 2007)​

Yuya Nakane
​
(m. 2016)​
OccupationSinger • Actress • Racing driver • Politician
Websitehttp://www.miharajunco.org/

Junko Mihara (三原 じゅん子, Mihara Junko, born 13 September 1964) is a Japanese politician, and was formerly a singer, actress, and racing driver. She is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Entertainment career

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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;[3] Mihara and Sato were co-drivers in the 1995 Spa 24 Hours.[3][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.[1]

Political career

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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.[1] 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

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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.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Narioka, Kosaku (13 July 2010). "LDP's Celebrity Winner Eyes Serious Role". Wall Street Journal Japan Real Time. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  2. ^ "鈴鹿ｽｰﾊﾟｰﾂｰﾘﾝｸﾞｶｰ500Kmﾚｰｽ ﾌﾘｰ走行" [Suzuka Super Touring Car 500Km Race Free Running]. Motorsports Forum (in Japanese). 5 July 1992. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Mihara, Junko. "Driver's Salon Interview with Junko Mihara". Driver's Meeting (Interview) (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  4. ^ Sato, Kumi. "Driver's Salon Interview with Kumi Sato". Driver's Meeting (Interview) (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  5. ^ Glick, Shav (3 April 1998). "De Ferran Is Right at Home on the Long Beach Circuit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  6. ^ Yoshida, Tomohiro (16 May 2017). "【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" [[KYOJO-CUP] Junko Mihara, the chairman of the tournament, encourages the players]. Motorsport.com (in Japanese). Motorsport Network. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  7. ^ Actress Junko Mihara to run in upper house election April 10, 2010 Japan Today Retrieved 2 June 2016
  8. ^ Martin, Alex DPJ, Kan in hot seat as Diet opens Japan Times Retrieved 2 June 2016
  9. ^ "Actress Mihara wins seat for LDP in Kanagawa Prefecture". Japan Times. Kyodo. 10 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  10. ^ Profile on LDP's website jimin.jp/english/profile/members/114704.html LDP Members – Junko Mihara Retrieved 2 June 2016
  11. ^ 三原じゅん子議員が靖国神社を参拝. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 15 August 2010. Archived from the original on 27 August 2010.
  12. ^ "LDP lawmaker urges Abe to spread wartime slogan". The Asahi Shimbun. 17 March 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Wartime slogan should stay buried". Japan Times. 24 March 2015. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  14. ^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (3 April 2015). "【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）". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 November 2023.
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