Natsumi Sakai (酒井 菜摘, Sakai Natsumi, born 24 July 1986) is a Japanese politician who currently serves as a member of the House of Representatives for Tokyo-15. She previously served in the Kōtō Ward Assembly, and ran for mayor of Kōtō in 2023 with backing from a majority of the opposition.[2]
Natsumi Sakai | |
|---|---|
酒井 菜摘 | |
 2024 | |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 29 April 2024[1] | |
| Preceded by | Mito Kakizawa |
| Constituency | Tokyo-15th |
| Member of Kōtō Ward Assembly | |
| In office 1 May 2019 – 3 December 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 24, 1986 Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Political party | CDP (2024-present; 2019-2023) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (2023) |
| Alma mater | Jiyugaoka High School Nursing Department |
| Website | www |
Biography
editSakai was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture on July 24, 1986. After graduating from Jiyugaoka High School Nursing Department, she moved to Tokyo and worked as a nurse in the obstetrics and gynecology department at Sasa General Hospital in Nishitokyo, Tokyo. She obtained her midwifery license in 2011. Since 2013, she has worked as a staff member at the opening of the perinatal center at Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital.[3][4]
In 2014, at the age of 28, Sakai was diagnosed with cervical cancer. While on leave, she underwent uterine-conserving surgery and chemotherapy, but continued to work.[5] During the 2015 unified local elections, she decided to become a politician after seeing a poster on an election bulletin board that featured a single mother and a female nursery school teacher as candidates.[6] She underwent infertility treatment using in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and after a threatened miscarriage and premature birth, gave birth to her first daughter in 2017. She returned to work in 2018.[7]
She ran as a candidate for the Kōtō Ward Assembly as an endorsed member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan in 2017, and was elected for the first time.[8] She then participated in the formation of the new CDP, before being re-elected in 2023 as the third highest vote getting candidate out of 59.[9]
On 14 November, she left the CDP, and two days later, announced her candidacy for mayor of Kōtō following the resignation of Mayor Yayoi Kimura.[10] She ran as an independent with the backing of the CDP, Japanese Communist Party, Reiwa Shinsengumi, Social Democratic Party, Tokyo Seikatsusha Network, and Greens Japan.[2] She filed her candidacy on 3 December, the public notice date, and resigned from the Assembly as a result. She ended up losing to Tomoka Okubo, who was backed by a unified group of the LDP, Tomin First no Kai, Komeito, and the Democratic Party for the People. In an interview after her loss, she stated she was "disappointed she couldn't break away from old politics."[11]
On 1 February, 2024, Mito Kakizawa resigned from the House of Representatives due to his arrest, leaving the 15th district in Tokyo up for a by-election.[12] On 4 April, the CDP announced it would back Sakai for the by-election following his resignation.[13] In response to this, four days later, the Communist Party candidate announced they would withdraw and back Sakai.[14] Votes were counted on 28 April, and she was elected with a clear plurality, being sworn in two days later.[15]
References
edit- ^ "衆院東京15区補選 初当選の酒井菜摘さんに当選証書". Tokyo Web. Tokyo Shimbun. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ a b "江東区長選に酒井氏出馬へ 元立憲・区議 ／東京". Mainichi Shimbun. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "酒井なつみ 立憲民主党・江東区". sakainatsumi.com (in Japanese).
- ^ "我が子が育つ未来に生きるために。子宮頸がんの闘病、不妊治療を乗り越えて母になった私の、人生の決断。＜前編＞" (in Japanese). UMU.
- ^ "28才で子宮頸がんに。闘病、不妊治療、出産を経て議員になったあるママの挑戦". st.benesse.ne.jp (in Japanese).
- ^ 我が子が育つ未来に生きるために。子宮頸がんの闘病、不妊治療を乗り越えて母になった私の、人生の決断。＜後編＞ | UMU
- ^ 「不妊治療、がん治療を乗り越えて。多様な課題を解決する、まちづくりとしての政治」東京都江東区 酒井なつみ インタビュー #41 - 立憲民主党
- ^ "Voting Results". Koto Ward. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Koto Ward Assembly Results, 2023". Senkyo. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "江東区長選、酒井氏が立候補表明 区議2期目、立憲など支持へ". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "東京 江東区長選挙 大久保朋果氏当選 自・公・国・都ファ推薦". NHK. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "柿沢未途 前法務副大臣が議員辞職 公選法違反などの罪で起訴". NHK. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "立民都連が酒井菜摘氏の擁立発表 衆院東京15区 補選 共産と候補者調整を進める意向も示す". Tokyo Shimbun. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "東京１５区補選、候補取り下げ 共産、立民新人支援". Jiji Press. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "東京15区 立民 酒井菜摘氏が当選 衆議院補欠選挙". NHK. Retrieved 30 April 2024.