Seiko Noda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Seiko Noda
|
|
|---|---|
|
野田 聖子
|
|
Official portrait, 2019
|
|
| Minister-in-charge of Measures against Declining Birthrate | |
| In office 4 October 2021 – 10 August 2022 |
|
| Prime Minister | Fumio Kishida |
| Preceded by | Tetsushi Sakamoto |
| Succeeded by | Masanobu Ogura |
| Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications | |
| In office 3 August 2017 – 2 October 2018 |
|
| Prime Minister | Shinzo Abe |
| Preceded by | Sanae Takaichi |
| Succeeded by | Masatoshi Ishida |
| Minister of Posts and Telecommunications | |
| In office 30 July 1998 – 5 October 1999 |
|
| Prime Minister | Keizō Obuchi |
| Preceded by | Shozaburo Jimi |
| Succeeded by | Eita Yashiro |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 19 July 1993 |
|
| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Constituency | Former Gifu 1st (1993–1996) Gifu 1st (1996–2009; 2012–present) Tōkai PR (2009–2012) |
| Member of the Gifu Prefectural Assembly | |
| In office April 1987 – 4 February 1990 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 September 1960 Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan |
| Political party | Liberal Democratic |
| Spouses |
Yōsuke Tsuruho
(m. 2001; div. 2006)Fuminobu Noda
(m. 2011) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Uichi Noda (grandfather) |
| Alma mater | Sophia University |
Seiko Noda (野田 聖子, Noda Seiko; born September 3, 1960) is a Japanese politician. She is a member of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which is one of the main political parties in the country.
Noda has held several important government jobs, called minister positions. From 2021 to 2022, she was the minister in charge of finding solutions for Japan's declining birthrate. This means she worked on policies to support families and encourage a healthy population size.
She also serves in the House of Representatives, which is a key part of Japan's government, similar to the U.S. House of Representatives. She represents the 1st District of Gifu Prefecture. In 2021, she ran to become the leader of her political party.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Seiko Noda was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. Her grandfather, Uichi Noda, was also a famous politician. He served as a minister in the Japanese government. She was born with the last name Shima, but she was adopted by her grandfather's family and took the name Noda before starting her political career.
For high school, she spent a year in the United States at Jonesville High School in Jonesville, Michigan. After returning to Japan, she went to Sophia University in Tokyo. She graduated in 1983 with a degree in foreign languages and cultural studies. After college, she worked at the famous Imperial Hotel.
Political Career
Getting Started in Politics
In 1987, at the age of 26, Noda won a seat in the Gifu Prefectural Assembly, which is a local government body for the Gifu area. This was the start of her journey in politics.
In 1993, she was elected to the House of Representatives, the national government. At the time, she was the only female member of the LDP in the lower house.
Becoming a Government Minister
Noda quickly became known as a promising young politician. In 1998, at age 37, she was chosen to be the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. This made her the youngest person to become a cabinet minister in Japan after World War II.
Over the years, she held other important roles. In 2017, she became the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications. This job involves overseeing local governments, elections, and communication networks.
In 2021, she was appointed to several roles by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. These included Minister for Measures for Declining Birthrate and Minister for Women's Empowerment. She left the cabinet in August 2022 during a government reshuffle.
Key Policies and Beliefs
Noda is known for her work on several important issues. She describes herself as a conservative, meaning she believes in traditional values but also in developing the nation's talent.
Postal Service Privatization
In 2005, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi wanted to privatize Japan's postal service. This means changing it from a government-run service to a private company. Noda was against this plan at first. She worried it would negatively affect people's lives, especially in rural areas.
Because she voted against her party's plan, the LDP did not support her in the next election. However, she ran as an independent and won her seat anyway. Later, after the public showed strong support for privatization in the election, she agreed to vote for the bill.
Women's Last Names
In Japan, there has been a long debate about whether women should be allowed to keep their own last names after getting married. Noda supports giving women this choice. She has led groups of politicians to try to change the law to allow for optional separate last names.
Declining Birthrate
Noda is very passionate about solving the problem of Japan's declining birthrate. This means that fewer babies are being born, which can cause problems for the country's future.
She has spoken openly about her own personal experiences and believes the government needs to do more to support families. She has criticized past government plans for not being effective enough. Noda has written books about this topic, arguing that Japan needs to create a society where it is easier for people to have and raise children.
Personal Life
Noda's interests include reading, watching movies, and using the computer. She is also a fan of Japanese sake (a traditional rice wine) and is the president of a group for female politicians who enjoy it. She has a French Bulldog named Catherine.
Books
- I want to give birth (2004)
- Who is taking away our future - fighting the declining birthrate (2005)
Related links
- Politics of Japan
- Cabinet of Japan
