is a Japanese retired
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
of the
Liberal Democratic Party who served three terms in the
House of Councillors in the
Diet (national legislature) and also served as the LDP's National Diet Committee Chairman.
A native of
Ashibetsu, Hokkaido and high school graduate, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2001 after serving in the prefectural assembly of
Hokkaidō
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
. He was a former
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
of the House of Councillors.
After the
Assassination of Shinzo Abe in July 2022 he admitted that he had asked Abe for votes from the
Unification Church (UC) in the 2016 Upper House election. According to
Hokkaido Television Broadcasting reporting, Date has participated in at least three events sponsored by the UC and its
front organisations, including an online event in August 2020, where he stated, "I believe that the spirit of coexistence, co-prosperity, and shared meaning, which leaders
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
and Han are preaching, is more desperately needed today than ever." Date testified that when he supported
Yoshifumi Miyajima of the LDP, who ran for the House of Councillors in the 2016 national proportional election, he asked Shinzo Abe to provide votes supplied from the UC. He said that Abe agreed and Miyajima was elected for the first time, but that Abe refused to allow him to run for the Upper House this time, and Miyajima had to withdraw from the race. The UC support was instead distributed to
Inoue Yoshiyuki.
Unification Church ties to Japan's lawmakers emerge as major political issue
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Election Results
2001
2007
2013
References
*
External links
* in Japanese.
Members of the House of Councillors (Japan)
Living people
1939 births
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) politicians
Members of the Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly
Presidents of the House of Councillors (Japan)
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