Junko Mihara

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

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

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

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

  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.