Aiko Shimajiri
Aiko Shimajiri (島尻 安伊子, Shimajiri Aiko, born March 4, 1965) is a Japanese politician, a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature) who was elected for the first time in 2007 and re-elected in 2010 in Okinawa Prefecture constituency. Shimajiri was appointed the Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs in the cabinet reshuffle on October 7, 2015, and is one of 3 women serving in Shinzo Abe's cabinet.
Aiko Shimajiri | |
|---|---|
島尻 安伊子 | |
| Minister of state for Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs Minister of state for science and technology policy Minister of state for space policy Minister in charge of ocean policy and territorial issues Minister in charge of information technology policy Minister in charge of "Cool Japan" strategy | |
| In office 7 October 2015 – 3 August 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | Shinzo Abe |
| Preceded by | Shunichi Yamaguchi |
| Succeeded by | Yōsuke Tsuruho |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 3 November 2021 | |
| Constituency | Okinawa 3rd |
| Member of the House of Councillors | |
| In office 27 April 2007 – 25 July 2016 | |
| Constituency | Okinawa at-large |
| Member of the Naha City Council | |
| In office 2004–2007 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 March 1965 Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan |
| Political party | Liberal Democratic |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (2004-2005) |
| Alma mater | Sophia University |
In an interview following her appointment as the minister of state, Shimajiri stated that she will not deal with issues regarding the construction of new U.S. military facilities in Okinawa.
Shimajiri lost her Diet seat to former Ginowan, Okinawa mayor Yoichi Iha, a critic of the US military presence in Okinawa supported by a coalition of opposition parties, in the 2016 Japanese House of Councillors election. This was viewed by some analysts as a setback for the proposed relocation of Futenma.