Mieko Yoshimura
Encyclopedia
is governor of Yamagata Prefecture
, Japan. She was elected on January 25, 2009. She defeated the sitting governor of Yamagata Prefecture
, Hiroshi Saitō in an upset. A native of Ōe, Yamagata
, she worked at a help-wanted advertising company before becoming a notary public
for the city government of Yamagata
. She soon became a member of Yamagata Prefecture's Education Committee before running for governor in 2008. She is Yamagata's first female governor and the sixth in Japanese history.
. She received the support of the Democratic Party of Japan
(DPJ) and various Upper House members from the Liberal Democratic Party
(LDP). This race was seen as an early indicator of the strength of the two main parties in Japan
because elections will be held before the end of 2009. Yoshimura's rival, Governor Hiroshi Saito, was supported by both the New Komeito Party
and the majority of the LDP.
Yamagata Prefecture
-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...
, Japan. She was elected on January 25, 2009. She defeated the sitting governor of Yamagata Prefecture
Yamagata Prefecture
-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...
, Hiroshi Saitō in an upset. A native of Ōe, Yamagata
Oe, Yamagata
is a town located in Nishimurayama District, Yamagata, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 10,160 and a density of 66.01 persons per km². The total area is 153.92 km²....
, she worked at a help-wanted advertising company before becoming a notary public
Notary public
A notary public in the common law world is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business...
for the city government of Yamagata
Yamagata, Yamagata
is the capital city of Yamagata Prefecture in Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 253,951 with 97,457 households and a population density of 665.94 persons per km². The total area is 381.34 km². The city was founded on April 1, 1889.-Culture:The , one of Tōhoku's...
. She soon became a member of Yamagata Prefecture's Education Committee before running for governor in 2008. She is Yamagata's first female governor and the sixth in Japanese history.
2009 Election
Yoshimura ran as an independentIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. She received the support of the Democratic Party of Japan
Democratic Party of Japan
The is a political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several opposition parties. Its socially liberal platform is generally considered center-left in the Japanese political spectrum...
(DPJ) and various Upper House members from the Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal 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...
(LDP). This race was seen as an early indicator of the strength of the two main parties in 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...
because elections will be held before the end of 2009. Yoshimura's rival, Governor Hiroshi Saito, was supported by both the New Komeito Party
New Komeito Party
The , 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...
and the majority of the LDP.