Fumiko Hayashi (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fumiko Hayashi
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林 文子
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Hayashi in 2011
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| Mayor of Yokohama | |
| In office 30 August 2009 – 30 August 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Hiroshi Nakada |
| Succeeded by | Takeharu Yamanaka |
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| Born |
Fumiko Hayashi
May 5, 1946 Tokyo, Japan |
| Political party | Democratic Party for the People |
| Occupation | Businesswoman and politician |
Fumiko Hayashi (林 文子, Hayashi Fumiko, born May 5, 1946) is a famous Japanese businesswoman and politician. She served as the mayor of Yokohama, a major city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She made history by becoming the first woman ever to be elected as the city's mayor.
Before entering politics, Hayashi had an amazing career in business. She was the president of BMW Tokyo and Tokyo Nissan Auto Sales. She also led the large Japanese supermarket chain Daiei as its chairperson and CEO. When she took the top job at Daiei, she was the only woman among the company's leaders. She said she wanted to "create an example of a success in male-female collaboration."
In 2006, Forbes magazine called her the 39th most powerful woman in the world. This was the highest ranking for any Japanese woman that year. She was elected mayor of Yokohama in 2009 and served until 2021. In July 2022, she was given a special award, the Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for helping the British Olympic and Paralympic teams.
Contents
A Trailblazer in Business
Fumiko Hayashi's journey in the business world is a story of hard work and determination. She started her first job right after high school in 1965.
Success in the Car Industry
In 1977, at age 31, Hayashi began working as a salesperson for the car company Honda. At that time, it was very unusual for women in Japan to sell cars. But Hayashi proved she was great at it. In her very first year, she sold more cars than anyone else at the company.
After ten years at Honda, she wanted a new challenge and applied to work for BMW Tokyo. At first, they said no. But Hayashi didn't give up. She wrote a long, seven-page letter explaining why they should hire her. Five months later, they did! She quickly became the top salesperson at BMW's main showroom.
Her success continued. She was asked to manage BMW's weakest showroom in Tokyo and turned it around. Later, another car company, Volkswagen, hired her to run its most important dealership. Under her leadership, the dealership's sales more than doubled in four years. By 1999, she was the president of the company.
Leading in Other Fields
In 2005, Hayashi switched from cars to groceries. She became the chairperson and CEO of The Daiei, Inc., a major supermarket company. A few years later, she returned to the car industry to work for Nissan.
Leading the City of Yokohama
In 2009, Fumiko Hayashi decided to enter politics. She ran for mayor of Yokohama after the previous mayor, Hiroshi Nakada, suddenly left office. She won the election with over 910,000 votes, becoming the city's 30th mayor.
As mayor, she worked to make Yokohama a better place to live. She was reelected in 2013 for another term. One of her goals was to make Yokohama famous around the world. She often said, "I myself am the top salesperson of Yokohama." She promoted cultural events, like a large dance festival in 2012 that attracted over a million visitors.
Awards and Recognition
Fumiko Hayashi has received many awards for her incredible career.
- 2006: Named the 39th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine.
- 2006: Chosen as "Woman of the Year" by Nikkei Woman Magazine.
- 2008: Named one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" by Fortune magazine.
Hayashi once said that the biggest challenge she faced in her career was "the 'no precedent' factor," meaning she was often the first woman to do what she did. Her success has inspired many people in Japan and around the world.
