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Tomomi InadaJapanese lawyer and politician
Date of Birth: 20.02.1959
Country:  Japan |
Content:
- Japanese Jurist and Politician
- Early Life and Education
- Legal Career
- Political Career
- Political Scandal and Resignation
- Ideological Views
Japanese Jurist and Politician
Tomomi Inada, a Japanese jurist and politician, served as Japan's Minister of Defense from August 3, 2016, to July 28, 2017.
Early Life and Education
Born in Fukui Prefecture, Inada graduated from Waseda University in 1981 and worked as a lawyer from 1985.
Legal Career
Inada participated in court cases defending the Yasukuni Shrine, Imperial Japanese Army officers from World War II, and those accused of war crimes. She also represented a family suing anti-war writer Kenzaburo Oe and the publisher Iwanami Shoten.
Political Career
After losing a court case involving a sword-killing competition in occupied China, Inada decided to enter politics to defend the honor of the Japanese military. She was first elected to parliament in 2005 as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Political Scandal and Resignation
In 2017, Inada became embroiled in a political scandal, but initially resisted calls for her resignation. However, she eventually submitted her resignation to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 28, 2017, which was accepted.
Ideological Views
Inada has been described (and criticized) as a historical revisionist in regards to Japan's actions in World War II. She criticized Japanese citizens who opposed visits by Japanese officials to the Yasukuni Shrine, and questioned the existence of the "comfort women" system in Japanese-occupied Korea (though she condemned violations of women's rights under that system). She also criticized the legal proceedings that found Japanese war criminals guilty.
Despite her support for some right-wing activists and their causes, Inada denied that she held right-wing views.
