Sayuri Uenishi (上西 小百合) (born April 30, 1983) is a Japanese politician and tarento. She served two terms in the House of Representatives before being expelled from her party for skipping a Diet session, then getting caught in a couple of scandals.
Early life and education
editUenishi was born in Habikino, Osaka on April 30, 1983. She studied at Kobe College.[1] After graduation she worked for a few years for an insurance company and a beauty company before she became interested in politics in 2012.[2]
Career
editUenishi was elected to the House of Representatives during the 2012 Japanese general election. She represented the 4th district of Osaka, and was a member of the Japan Restoration Party. She then became a member of the Japan Innovation Party when the Japan Restoration party merged with them in 2015.
In 2015 Uenishi missed a session during which the Diet voted on the national budget. She said that she was ill, but went out to an izakaya with another lawmaker that night.[3] Toru Hashimoto, one of the leaders of the Japan Innovation Party, expelled her after speaking with her about the matter. A few months later she was caught giving 800,000 yen in campaign funds to her father, who also served as her private secretary.[3] In August 2015 she released an autobiography that included photographs of herself in suggestive poses.[4]
Uenishi tweeted a rude message at the Urawa Red Diamonds soccer team for losing a match in 2017. Urawa fans then responded to her, starting a Twitter argument that culminated in death threats being sent to her office.[5]
At a press conference on September 24, 2017 she announced that she would not run for office during the next election.[6]
In 2018 she decided to become a tarento, and was hired by a production company.[7] She appeared on Mecha-Mecha Iketeru! and London Hearts.
References
edit- ^ "維新の"刺客"上西氏、学生時にキャンペーンガール...大阪7区：社会：スポーツ報知大阪版". 2012-12-13. Archived from the original on 2012-12-13. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- ^ "2012衆院選 近畿ブロック 日本維新の会 上西小百合 - 毎日jp(毎日新聞)". senkyo.mainichi.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- ^ a b "Uenishi gave political funds to father for car rental". TokyoReporter. 2015-04-09. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- ^ "Scandal-hit politician Sayuri Uenishi to release revealing autobiography". TokyoReporter. 2015-08-09. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- ^ "Lawmaker Sayuri Uenishi receives death threats after slamming Urawa Reds". TokyoReporter. 2017-07-18. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- ^ "上西小百合・衆院議員が不出馬を表明、ただし政治活動は継続". ハフポスト (in Japanese). 2017-09-25. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
- ^ "上西 小百合｜女性タレント｜所属者｜ケイパーク公式WEBサイト- K Dash Group". ケイパーク公式WEBサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-11-09.