Akiko C. Bedor Sugiyama is a

Palau Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caro ...

an politician, and widow of Palauan senator

Peter Sugiyama Peter Lawrence Naoya Sugiyama (April 19, 1943–June 10, 2007) was a Palauan politician. Personal life Sugiyama's father was a Japanese immigrant. He moved to Koror in 1914 at the invitation of his uncle, after the Japanese Empire seized cont ...

. As late as 1995, she was the only woman who had ever been elected to the

Palau National Congress Palau has a bicameral legislature, the Palau National Congress (''Olbiil era Kelulau''), consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Palau, which both sit at the capitol complex in Ngerulmud, Melekeok State. The House of Delegates has ...

. In 2005, she was elected governor of

Ngardmau Ngardmau is one of Palau's sixteen states and is located on the west side of Babeldaob between the states of Ngaraard and Ngeremlengui. Geography The total area of Ngardmau is . At the time of the 2015 census, 185 people lived in the state. ...

State in a special election after the impeachment of Schwartz Tudong over the misuse of public funds. Along with Vicky Kanai of

Airai Airai, located on the southern coast of Babeldaob island, is the second-most populous state of Palau. It contains the country's chief airport, Roman Tmetuchl International Airport, and is connected by the Koror–Babeldaob Bridge to nearby Koror ...

, she was the first woman to be elected governor of any of the

states of Palau Palau is divided into sixteen administrative regions, called states. Palau has a high ratio of government offices to citizens, with 16 states and both a tribal chiefdom and elected legislature in each state, for 20,000 people.''Patterson, Carolyn ...

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Members of the House of Delegates of Palau People from Ngardmau Living people 20th-century Palauan women politicians 20th-century Palauan politicians 21st-century Palauan women politicians 21st-century Palauan politicians {{Palau-bio-stub