Keiko Chiba

Keiko Chiba 千葉景子
at the Ministry of Justice (October 16, 2009)
Minister of Justice
Incumbent
Assumed office  September 16, 2009
Prime Minister	Yukio Hatoyama
Preceded by	Eisuke Mori
Born	11 May 1948 (1948-05-11) (age 61) Yokohama
Political party	Democratic Party of Japan
Other political affiliations	Japan Socialist Party (Before 1996) Social Democratic Party (1996-1997)
Alma mater	Chuo University
Profession	Lawyer

Keiko Chiba (千葉 景子^?, born May 11, 1948) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Yokohama, Kanagawa.

Former Career

After graduating Chuo University in 1971, where she studied law, she became a lawyer in 1982. She belongs to 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^[1].

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 succesor the Social Democratic Party, 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.

On the 20th House of Councillors election Chiba run 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 Kawasaki Municipal Transportation Workers Union were arrested due to bribery to collect the votes for her.^[2] Both executives were sentenced to 1.5 years imprisonment with 5 years suspention execution. In the Next Cabinet Chiba served as Minister of State for Gender Equiality and Minister of Justice.

After the 45th general election, she has been appointed as the Minister of Justice in Yukio Hatoyama's cabinet on September 16, 2009. On 9 October 2009 Chiba granted special permission to two Chinese sisters who lost a lawsuit against a government deportation order.^[3]

She is a prominent member of various anti-death penalty organizations in Japan, and many legal analysts^[who?] have criticized Chiba's appointment due to this fact. She also expressed her intention to try to give "warm treatment" to illegal immigrants in Japan^[4], and she even said before that all illegal immigrants in Japan should be allowed to stay in Japan without any legal documentation.^{[citation needed]}

Activities

• In 1989, Chiba, Naoto Kan, Takako Doi, Tomiichi Murayama and other 129 Japanese politicians from Japan Socialist Party, Socialist Democratic Federation and Komeito signed a petition to the South Korean President Roh Tae-woo for the release of former death row inmate including Sin Gwang-su who had kidnapped a Japanese in June 1980^[5]. After Kim Jong-Il admitted abducting 13 Japanese citizens and issued an oral apology on 17 September 2002^[6], she was criticized by name as idiot by Shinzo Abe, the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary at that time. At the Budget Committee of the lower house of the Diet held on 5 November 2009, Tomomi Inada has overtooked Chiba on this issue once again and she replied to Inada that she has not realized that the list of petition had included Sin.
• On 5 August 1999 she voted against the Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem.
• On 7 April 2004 she criticized the illegal alien reporting system of the Immigration Bureau at the Diet.
• In November 2006 she became the promoter of a movement requesting the withdrawal of an Iranian's deportation sentence by the Immigrant Bureau.
• On 15 August 2008 she participated in and made a speech at the ceremony held by Mindan celebrating 63rd Gwangbokjeol.
• On 16 August 2008 she assented to the political assembly held by Mindan supporting the non-citizen voting rights.
• Chiba oppressed the speech of Kazuya Maruyama from Liberal Democratic Party at the House of Councillors, Committee on Judical Affairs on 4 December 2008 concerning the amendment on the part of the Japanese Nationality Act.^[7]
• On 17 March 2009 she asked Eisuke Mori, the Minister of Justice at that time, not to deport a family that had illegally entered Japan by utilizing passports in other names, and requested special treatment for them at the Diet.
• On 21 September 2009 she mentioned her intention to exercise the authority to command prevention of the runaway of public prosecutors at "TV Tuckle" by TV Asahi.

Manifesto

• To oppose Yokosuka being a home port for nuclear-powered aircraft carriers of the United States Navy, and to move the night landing practices from the naval air facility at Atsugi to one in Iwo Jima.
• 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 rights.
• She supports Multiple citizenship.
• She supports the amendment of the Japanese nationality Act.
• She supports the dual-surname system. ^[8][9]
• She supports the Human Rights Protection Bill.

References

External links

• Official website in Japanese.
• "政治家情報 〜千葉 景子〜" (in Japanese). ザ･選挙. JANJAN. http://www.senkyo.janjan.jp/diet/profile/0008/00008709.html. Retrieved 2007-11-15. 

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