On July 22, JCIE USA hosted an online briefing on Japan’s election for the House of Councillors (Upper House), which took place on July 20 and resulted in the ruling coalition losing its majority. The event featured comments and analysis from Daniel Smith (Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania), Noriko Akiyama (Senior Political Writer at The Asahi Shimbun), and Ken Moriyasu (Washington Correspondent for Nikkei Asia). Approximately 50 participants joined to discuss a broad range of topics, including an overview of the outcome in terms of voter turnout and demographics, women in politics, and implications for the future of Japan’s political leadership, foreign policy, and US-Japan relations.
About the speakers
Daniel M. Smith is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. His research interests cover a range of topics in comparative politics, political economy, and political behavior, with a core focus on political institutions and democratic representation. He has regional expertise in Japan and Western Europe. He is the author of Dynasties and Democracy (Stanford University Press, 2018) and co-editor of the Japan Decides election series. He holds a PhD and MA in political science from UCSD, and a BA in political science and Italian from UCLA.
Noriko Akiyama is a Senior Political Writer at The Asahi Shimbun, the second largest newspaper company in Japan. Previously, she was assistant political editor, political reporter, and reporter for AERA, a Japanese weekly magazine owned and published by Asahi. She is the first female to have assumed the positions of senior political writer and assistant political editor at Asahi. Ms. Akiyama has authored numerous books including on women in non-profits, gender politics in Japan, female bureaucrats, civil society leaders, a guide to Japan’s political history, and a biography on Chiyo Obata, Japan’s first female professional wrestler. Most recently, she authored a book on women politicians (Josei seijika ga fuetara naniga kawarunoka). She is also an alumna of several fellowship programs including the Fish Family Foundation’s Japan Women Leadership Initiative (2018). Ms. Akiyama holds a Ph. D. in Social Science from University of Tsukuba, Master of Science in empires, colonialism and globalization from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA in sociology from the University of Tokyo.
Ken Moriyasu is the Washington Correspondent for Nikkei Asia, the English-language arm of Japanese media group Nikkei Shimbun. Born in Chicago, Ken has been with Nikkei since 1994, serving as a correspondent in Tokyo (Political Section), Washington DC, Cairo, Beijing, Dalian and New York. He assumed his current position in 2023. He was the last journalist to interview Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in January 2006, one day before his stroke. He also served as the interpreter and speechwriter for the Nikkei’s Chairman at the time of its purchase of the Financial Times Group. He graduated from the Department of Journalism, Faculty of Humanities, Sophia University.
The event was made possible by a generous grant from the Toshiba International Foundation.
