Akiko Santō

Akiko Santō (山東 昭子, Santō Akiko, born 11 May 1942) is a Japanese politician who was the president of the House of Councillors of Japan from 2019 to 2022. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, she was previously the vice president of the House of Councillors from 2007 to 2010.

The native form of this personal name is Santō Akiko. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.
Akiko Santō
山東 昭子
Santō in 2020
President of the House of Councillors
In office
1 August 2019 – 3 August 2022
Preceded byChūichi Date
Succeeded byHidehisa Otsuji
Vice President of the House of Councillors
In office
7 August 2007 – 30 July 2010
Preceded byAkira Imaizumi
Succeeded byHidehisa Otsuji
Director General of Science and Technology Agency
In office
29 December 1990 – 5 November 1991
Prime MinisterToshiki Kaifu
Preceded byTomoji Ōshima
Succeeded byKanzō Tanigawa
Member of House of Councillors
Assumed office
2001
ConstituencyNational PR
In office
1995–1996
ConstituencyNational PR
In office
1974–1992
ConstituencyNational district (1974–1986)
National PR (1986–1992)
Personal details
Born (1942-05-11) 11 May 1942
Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic
Alma materBunka Gakuin

Background and career

A native of Tokyo and graduate of Bunka Gakuin, Santo is the grandniece of Kodama Ryōtarō (September 1872 – October 25, 1921), a member of the House of Representatives.[1]

Santo was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1974 after working as an actress and reporter. She was parliamentary vice-minister of environment (Ohira cabinet), and minister of state and director general of the Science and Technology Agency (Kaifu cabinet, 1990–91). She became vice president of the House of Councillors in 2007, and chaired the joint plenary meeting of party members of both houses of the Diet.[2]

The Senkaku episode

Santo played a role in the sale of three of the Senkaku Islands. She had known the landowner (Kurihara family) for 30 years, and in 2011 he told her that he wanted to sell to the governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara (whose nationalistic book he liked), instead of to the government and the prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda. The latter proposed a land swap, the former cash, and eventually the state bought the land for $25.5 million in 2012.[3]

Like Ishihara, Santo is affiliated to the openly revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi, which claims Japan's ownership of these islands,[4] which are also claimed by China (as Diaoyu).

References
  1. Official Gazette No. 2773, 28 October 1921
  2. Profile on the LDP website
  3. "Main battle over Senkaku isles waged between Ishihara, Noda". The Asahi Shimbun. 3 September 2012. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014.
    - Antoni Slodkowski (11 November 2012). "How debts and double-dealing sparked Japan-China islets row". Reuters.
  4. Nippon Kaigi website


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