Yūko Obuchi

Yuko Obuchi (小渕 優子, Obuchi Yūko, born December 11, 1973, in Bunkyō, Tokyo) is a Japanese politician. She is a member of the House of Representatives for the Liberal Democratic Party. She briefly served as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry during the Abe government, but was forced to resign. She is the second daughter of Keizo Obuchi, who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1998 until his death in office in 2000.

Yuko Obuchi
小渕 優子
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
In office
3 September 2014 – 21 October 2014
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byToshimitsu Motegi
Succeeded byYoichi Miyazawa
Member of Parliament
for Gunma 5th district
Assumed office
2000
Preceded byKeizō Obuchi
Personal details
Born (1973-12-11) December 11, 1973
Tokyo, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic Party
ParentKeizō Obuchi
Alma materSeijo University

Early life
Obuchi (far right) meeting with United States Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy (far left) in 2014.

Obuchi was born in Tokyo in 1973. She graduated from Seijo University and joined the broadcaster TBS in 1996.[1]

Political career

Obuchi began working as an aide to her father in 1999. She was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in the 2000 general election, winning her late father's Diet seat after his death in office.[1]

Aso government

On September 24, 2008, Obuchi was appointed Minister of State for Social Affairs and Gender Equality in the cabinet of Prime Minister Tarō Asō. This made her Japan's youngest cabinet member in the post-war era.[2][3]

Abe government

In December 2012, she was appointed Vice Minister of Finance by the new Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, and on 3 September 2014, she was made Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in Abe's cabinet.[4] As such, she became the minister responsible for the nuclear industry in Japan, with partial responsibility for the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster clean-up. She was viewed at the time as a potential candidate for prime minister.[5][3]

Obuchi resigned from her position as the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry on October 19, 2014, amid allegations of misuse of political contributions.[6] Her departure was seen as a blow to the Abe government.[7] An investigation committee found in October 2015 that Obuchi had no legal responsibility for the scandal, as the false entries had been made by two of her aides without her knowledge.[5]

Personal life

Obuchi is married and has two sons.[1] Her husband, Kazuaki Setoguchi, joined TBS at the same time as Obuchi in 1996. They married in December 2004 after dating for several years.[8]

References
  1. "プロフィール｜衆議院議員 小渕優子". 衆議院議員 小渕優子 (おぶちゆうこ) 公式サイト - Obuchi Yuko (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  2. "Aso elected premier / Announces Cabinet lineup himself; poll likely on Nov. 2", The Yomiuri Shimbun, 25 September 2008.
  3. Saito, Linda (2014-10-03). "Japan's Obuchi - Political 'princess' could be first female PM". Reuters. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  4. "‘Daddy’s girl’ Obuchi to oversee nuclear industry", The Japan Times, 4 September 2014.
  5. Aoki, Mizuho (2015-10-20). "Panel clears Obuchi over career-damaging scandal". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  6. "Japan ministers Yuko Obuchi and Midori Matsushima quit". BBC News. 20 October 2014.
  7. "In blow to Abe, Japan trade minister to resign over funds scandal - media". Reuters UK. 17 October 2014.
  8. "小渕優子議員が結婚／ＴＢＳプロデューサーと". 四国新聞社. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
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