Keiko Chiba
Encyclopedia
is the former justice minister
of Japan
.
in 1971, where she studied law, she became a lawyer in 1982. She belongs to the Yokohama Bar Association. As a lawyer, she was involved in a lawsuit filed by local residents over noise pollution caused by jets taking off and landing at the U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi
in Kanagawa Prefecture. She also worked to protect the rights of women and seniors.
, but she left the party to the Democratic Party of Japan in January 1997. Nevertheless she has strengthened her footing with continuous support by All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union (JICHIRO) and Japanese Trade Union Confederation
and took charge of the Director General of a parliament group supporting Amnesty International
.
At the 20th House of Councillors election Chiba ran for the Diet representing Kanagawa and was elected to the House of Councillors for the fourth time. In the course of election canvassing, two executives of the Kawasaki Municipal Transportation Workers Union
were arrested because of their involvement in soliciting votes for Chiba for cash payment. Both executives were sentenced to 1.5 years imprisonment with 5 years suspension execution. In the Next Cabinet
Chiba served as Minister of State for Gender Equiality and as Minister of Justice.
After the 45th general election
, she was appointed Minister of Justice
in Yukio Hatoyama
's cabinet on 16 September 2009. On 9 October 2009 Chiba granted special permission to two Chinese sisters who lost a lawsuit against a government deportation order. She later enacted legislation to abolish the statute of limitations for murder and robbery-murder.
She is a prominent member of various anti-death penalty organizations in Japan, and many legal analysts have criticized Chiba's appointment because of her position on the death penalty issue: in spite of this she signed orders for two executions
which were carried out on 28 July 2010. Chiba has also expressed her intention to try to give "warm treatment" to illegal immigrants in Japan, and she has also reportedly said that all illegal immigrants in Japan should be allowed to stay in Japan without any legal documentation.
Chiba was reappointed as justice minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan
in June 2010.
Chiba lost her seat in the House of Councillors
on 11 July 2010, but Prime Minister Naoto Kan had kept her as the Minister of Justice until September. Her successor to the position was The Honorable Minoru Yanagida, who was appointed by Prime Minister Kan.
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Justice Minister
A justice ministry is a ministry or other government agency charged with justice. The ministry is often headed by a minister for justice or secretary of justice or secretary for justice; sometimes the head of a department of justice is entitled attorney general.Specific duties may relate to...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Former career
After graduating from Chuo UniversityChuo University
Chuo University is a one of the Japanese leading universities. Thus it is competitive in several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:The university has been ranked 27th, 25th, 34th during 2008-2010 respectively in the ranking "Truly Strong Universities" by Toyo Keizai.-Research...
in 1971, where she studied law, she became a lawyer in 1982. She belongs to the Yokohama Bar Association. As a lawyer, she was involved in a lawsuit filed by local residents over noise pollution caused by jets taking off and landing at the U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Naval Air Facility Atsugi
is a naval air base located in the cities of Yamato and Ayase in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the largest United States Navy air base in the Pacific Ocean and houses the squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 5, which deploys with the aircraft carrier...
in Kanagawa Prefecture. She also worked to protect the rights of women and seniors.
Political career
Throughout her activity as lawyer, Chiba developed a relationship with Japan Socialist Party. In 1986 she was nominated as the official candidate of the party and elected to the House of Councillors for the first time. She held executive posts in the Japan Socialist Party and in its successor the Social Democratic PartySocial Democratic Party (Japan)
The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also known as the Social Democratic Party of Japan (abbreviated to SDPJ or SDP in English) is a political party that advocates for the establishment of a...
, but she left the party to the Democratic Party of Japan in January 1997. Nevertheless she has strengthened her footing with continuous support by All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union (JICHIRO) and Japanese Trade Union Confederation
RENGO
-External links:...
and took charge of the Director General of a parliament group supporting Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
.
At the 20th House of Councillors election Chiba ran for the Diet representing Kanagawa and was elected to the House of Councillors for the fourth time. In the course of election canvassing, two executives of the Kawasaki Municipal Transportation Workers Union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
were arrested because of their involvement in soliciting votes for Chiba for cash payment. Both executives were sentenced to 1.5 years imprisonment with 5 years suspension execution. In the Next Cabinet
Next Cabinet
The was the name of the shadow cabinet when the Democratic Party of Japan was in opposition. Though DPJ shadow cabinets began in 1999, it only acquired the name in 2003 and dissolved after the DPJ gained power for the first time after the 2009 general elections....
Chiba served as Minister of State for Gender Equiality and as Minister of Justice.
After the 45th general election
Japanese general election, 2009
A general election in Japan was held on August 30, 2009, for all 480 seats of the House of Representatives of Japan, the lower house of the Diet of Japan....
, she was appointed Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (Japan)
The is the member of the Cabinet of Japan in charge of the Ministry of Justice. The post has been held by Hideo Hiraoka since 2 September 2011.- Ministers of Justice :...
in Yukio Hatoyama
Yukio Hatoyama
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan between 16 September 2009 and 2 June 2010, and was the first ever Prime Minister from the modern Democratic Party of Japan....
's cabinet on 16 September 2009. On 9 October 2009 Chiba granted special permission to two Chinese sisters who lost a lawsuit against a government deportation order. She later enacted legislation to abolish the statute of limitations for murder and robbery-murder.
She is a prominent member of various anti-death penalty organizations in Japan, and many legal analysts have criticized Chiba's appointment because of her position on the death penalty issue: in spite of this she signed orders for two executions
Capital punishment in Japan
Capital punishment is legal in Japan. The only crimes for which capital punishment is statutory are homicide and treason. Between 1946 and 1993, Japanese courts sentenced 766 people to death , 608 of whom were executed...
which were carried out on 28 July 2010. Chiba has also expressed her intention to try to give "warm treatment" to illegal immigrants in Japan, and she has also reportedly said that all illegal immigrants in Japan should be allowed to stay in Japan without any legal documentation.
Chiba was reappointed as justice minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan
Naoto Kan
is a Japanese politician, and former Prime Minister of Japan. In June 2010, then-Finance Minister Kan was elected as the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan and designated Prime Minister by the Diet to succeed Yukio Hatoyama. On 26 August 2011, Kan announced his resignation...
in June 2010.
Chiba lost her seat in the House of Councillors
Japanese House of Councillors election, 2010
The for the upper house of the legislature of Japan were held on July 11, 2010. In the last election in 2007, the Liberal Democratic Party lost its majority to the Democratic Party of Japan , which managed to gain the largest margin since its formation in 1996. The House of Councillors is...
on 11 July 2010, but Prime Minister Naoto Kan had kept her as the Minister of Justice until September. Her successor to the position was The Honorable Minoru Yanagida, who was appointed by Prime Minister Kan.
Activities
- In 1989, Chiba, Naoto KanNaoto Kanis a Japanese politician, and former Prime Minister of Japan. In June 2010, then-Finance Minister Kan was elected as the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan and designated Prime Minister by the Diet to succeed Yukio Hatoyama. On 26 August 2011, Kan announced his resignation...
, Takako DoiTakako Doiwas a prominent Japanese politician from 1980 until her retirement in 2005.Doi was born in Hyōgo Prefecture and graduated from Doshisha University, where she studied law. She was elected to the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Diet, as a member of the Japan Socialist Party in 1969,...
, Tomiichi MurayamaTomiichi Murayamais a retired Japanese politician who served as the 81st Prime Minister of Japan from June 30, 1994 to January 11, 1996. He was the head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan and the first Socialist prime minister in nearly fifty years...
and another 129 Japanese politicians from the Japan Socialist Party, Socialist Democratic FederationSocialist Democratic Federation (Japan)The , also referred to in Japanese by the shortened , was a Japanese political party that existed from 1978 to 1994. It was formed from the merger of the and the .- Socialist Citizen Federation :...
and KomeitoNew Komeito PartyThe , New Kōmei Party, or NKP is a centre-right political party in Japan founded by members of the Nichiren Buddhist organization Sōka Gakkai. The leadership and financing of the two groups are currently independent...
signed a petition to the South Korean PresidentPresident of South KoreaThe President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea...
Roh Tae-wooRoh Tae-wooRoh Tae-woo , is a former ROK Army general and politician. He was the 13th president of South Korea .Roh befriended Chun Doo-hwan while in high school in Daegu. In his younger life, Roh was a keen rugby union player....
for the release of former death row inmate including Sin Gwang-suSin Gwang-su (spy)Sin Gwang-su is a Zainichi Korean North Korean, was born in Shizuoka, Japan, He was involved in the North Korean abductions of Japanese....
who had kidnapped a Japanese citizen in June 1980. After Kim Jong-IlKim Jong-ilKim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
admitted to abducting 13 Japanese citizens and issued an oral apology on 17 September 2002, Chiba was personally criticized by then Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo AbeShinzo Abewas the 90th Prime Minister of Japan, elected by a special session of the National Diet on 26 September 2006. He was Japan's youngest post–World War II prime minister and the first born after the war. Abe served as prime minister for nearly twelve months, before resigning on 12 September 2007...
, who called her "an idiot". During a meeting of the Budget Committee of the Lower house of the Diet held on 5 November 2009, Tomomi InadaTomomi Inadais a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Imadate, Fukui.- Former career :...
confronted Chiba on the petition issue and Chiba replied to Inada that she had not realized that the list of the release petition included kidnapper Sin Gwang-su. - On 5 August 1999 Chiba voted against the Law Regarding the National Flag and National Anthem.
- On 7 April 2004 at the Diet Chiba criticized the Reporting System for Illegal Aliens of the Immigration Bureau.
- In November 2006 Chiba became the promoter of a movement requesting the withdrawal of an Iranian's deportation sentence by the Immigrant Bureau.
- On 15 August 2008 Chiba participated in and made a speech at the ceremony held by MindanMindanMindan , or the Korean Residents Union in Japan, is the name of one of two main organizations for Koreans living in Japan, the other being Chongryon. Mindan has ties to South Korea and was established in 1946 in Tokyo, Japan...
celebrating the 63rd Gwangbokjeol. - On 16 August 2008 Chiba assented to the political assembly held by Mindan supporting the non-citizen voting rights.
- On 4 December 2008 at the House of Councillors, Committee on Judicial Affairs, Chiba oppressed the speech of Kazuya MaruyamaKazuya Maruyamais a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet .- career :A native of Hyōgo Prefecture and graduate of Waseda University, he joined the Ministry of Justice in 1970, passing the bar exam in the same year...
, a member of the Liberal Democratic PartyLiberal Democratic Party (Japan)The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
concerning the amendment on the part of the Japanese Nationality ActJapanese nationality lawJapanese nationality is a legal designation and set of rights granted to those people who have met the federal criteria for citizenship by parentage or by naturalization...
. - On 17 March 2009 at the Diet Chiba requested from then Minister of Justice Eisuke MoriEisuke Moriis a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party. He is a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet and is the former Minister of Justice under Aso's Administration....
not to deport a family that had illegally entered Japan by means of false-name passports, which amounted to a request for special treatment for these immigrants. - On 21 September 2009 at "TV Tuckle" by TV AsahiTV Asahi, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
Chiba expressed her intention to exercise her authority so as to prevent the runaway of public prosecutors. - In July 2010, Chiba signed execution orders for convicted murderers Kazuo Shinozawa and Hidenori Ogata, then attended their executions by hanging on 28 July 2010. Chiba was the first justice minister in Japan's history to personally witness an execution.
Manifesto
- To oppose Yokosuka being a home port for nuclear-powered aircraft carriers of the United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, and to move the night landing practices from the naval air facility at Atsugi to one in Iwo JimaIwo JimaIwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
. - To set up the Civil Liberties Commission independent from the government.
- To realize a society in which symbiotic relationships between naturalized citizens and foreign residents is possible.
Policies
- She supports non-citizen voting rightsRight of foreigners to voteSuffrage, the right to vote in a particular country, generally derives from citizenship. In most countries, the right to vote is reserved to those who possess the citizenship of the country in question. Some countries, however, have extended suffrage rights to non-citizens...
. - She supports Multiple citizenshipMultiple citizenshipMultiple citizenship is a status in which a person is concurrently regarded as a citizen under the laws of more than one state. Multiple citizenships exist because different countries use different, and not necessarily mutually exclusive, citizenship requirements...
. - She supports the amendment of the Japanese nationality Act.
- She supports the dual-surname system.
- She supports the Human Rights Protection Bill.
External links
- Official website in Japanese.
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