Akiko Santō

Akiko Santō is a Japanese politician who served as List of presidents of the [House of Councillors (Japan)|President of the House of Councillors] from 2019 to 2022. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, she was previously the vice president of the House of Councillors from 2007 to 2010.

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Background and career

Akiko Santō was born in Setagaya, Tokyo, on 11 May 1942. She was the grandniece of Kodama Ryōtarō, who served in the House of Representatives during the Taishō era. On the recommendation of the composer Ikuma Dan, a friend of her mother, Santo became the host of a TBS Radio children's program at the age of eleven. She graduated from Bunka Gakuin in 1961.
Santo was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1974 after working as an actress and reporter. She was parliamentary vice-minister of environment, and minister of state and director general of the Science and Technology Agency. She became vice president of the House of Councillors in 2007, and chaired the joint plenary meeting of party members of both houses of the Diet.
After the 2019 election, Santo was elected President of the House of Councillors. She stepped down after the 2022 election.

The Senkaku episode

Santo played a role in the sale of three of the Senkaku Islands. She had known the landowner for 30 years, and in 2011 he told her that he wanted to sell to the governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, instead of to the government and the prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda. The latter proposed a land swap, the former cash, and eventually the state bought the land for $25.5 million in 2012.