Emiko Okuyama

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

Emiko Okuyama
奥山恵美子
Mayor of Sendai City
In office
2009–2017
Personal details
BornJune 23, 1951
Akita (city), Japan

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. 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 2015年2月14日
  2. "奥山副市長も合否連絡　仙台市教員採用合否". 河北新報. 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
  3. "PROFILE". www.women.co.jp. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  4. 奥山氏優位、岩崎氏追う 仙台市長選26日投票　『四国新聞社』　2009年7月24日、2015年12月12日閲覧
  5. 仙台市長選　『産経新聞』　2009年7月28日、2015年12月12日閲覧
  6. "奥山市長が「ドイツ持続可能賞　名誉賞」を受賞しました". 仙台市役所. 2012-09-18. Archived from the original on 2014-12-21. Retrieved 2014-12-21.
  7. "Sendai mayor offers disaster lessons to U.N." The Japan Times Online. 2014-07-11. ISSN 0447-5763. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  8. "Okuyama secures second term as Sendai mayor". The Japan Times Online. 2013-08-11. ISSN 0447-5763. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  9. "〈奥山市長引退へ〉「仙台に新たな選択を」". 河北新報. 2017-04-08. Archived from the original on 2017-04-09. Retrieved 2017-04-09.
  10. 仙台市長選 郡和子氏が初当選 自公敗北、加計問題影響 - 毎日新聞（2017年7月23日発信、同年7月24日閲覧）
      Public Office
      Predecessor：
      Katsuhiko Umehara
      		 Mayor of Sendai City
      2009 - 2017      		 Successor：
      Kazuko Kōri
      This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.