Kureha Otsuki
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kureha Otsuki
| native_name = 大築紅葉
| native_name_lang = ja
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| office = Representative from Hokkaido 4th district
| predecessor = Hiroyuki Nakamura
| successor =
| term_start = 9 October 2024
| term_end =
| office1 = Representative from Hokkaido PR Block
| predecessor1 = Hiroshi Kamiya
| successor1 = Yoshitaka Itō
| term_start1 = 5 November 2021
| term_end1 = 9 October 2024
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1983|10|16}}
| birth_place = Otaru, Hokkaido
| party = Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan
| alma_mater = Birmingham City University
}}
Kureha Otsuki (born 16 October 1983) is a Japanese politician and reporter who has served as a member of the House of Representatives from Hokkaido 4th district since 2024. Prior to serving from the 4th district, she served from Hokkaido's proportional representation block from 2021 to 2024.
Early life and Career
Kureha Otsuki was born in Otaru, Hokkaido on 16 October 1983.{{Cite web|title=おおつきくれは（大築紅葉）{{!}} 新しい世代から、新しい政治を。|url=https://kurehaotsuki.jp/|date=18 August 2021|accessdate=7 March 2025|language=ja}} After graduating from Hokkaido Otaru Choryo High School, she would travel to the United Kingdom in order to study journalism at Birmingham City University.
After graduating from university and returning to Japan, Otsuki would find work as an opposition reporter for Fuji Television's political affairs department.
Political Career
Kureha Otsuki's political career began in July of 2021, following the resignation of Hiranao Honda, a previous representative of Hokkaido's proportional representation block, who resigned after reports of him making inappropriate comments during a private meeting of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.{{Cite news | newspaper=TOKYOWeb（東京新聞）| url=https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/109216 | title=「14歳と性交で逮捕は不当」発言は「自分だ」 立憲民主党の本多平直氏認める|date=6 July 2021| accessdate=10 March 2025|language=Ja}}"Official Gazette" No. 544, page 7 July 30, 2021 issue "Resignation of Member of Parliament" After Honda announced he was not seeking reelection,{{Cite web |title=立憲離党し辞職の本多氏、次期衆院選で道4区から不出馬 [立憲]：朝日新聞デジタル |url=https://www.asahi.com/amp/articles/ASP7063X3P70IIPE00R.html |website=www.asahi.com |access-date=10 March 2025|language=Ja}} Oksuki was selected by the CDP to appear on the electoral list, while also simultaneously mounting a campaign in Hokkaido's 4th district.{{Cite web|title=フジテレビ元記者が出馬表明 立民、衆院選北海道4区 ｜ 共同通信|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816103821/https://nordot.app/799949957128880128 |website=共同通信|date=16 August 2021|accessdate=10 March 2025|language=ja|last=共同通信}} In Hokkaido's 4th district, Otsuki was also endorsed by the Japanese Communist Party and Social Democratic Party of Japan.{{cite news |author=佐野格 |url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20211013/k00/00m/010/231000c | title=共産党、22選挙区で候補取り下げ 野党一本化目的に | newspaper=毎日新聞 | date=13 October 2021 | accessdate=10 March 2025|language=ja}}{{Cite web|title=共・候補者取り下げ 自・中村氏と立・大築氏の一騎打ち|url=https://www.otaru-journal.com/2021/10/post-75635/|website=小樽ジャーナル|accessdate=10 March 2025|language=ja}}
During the 2021 Japanese general election, Otsuki lost to Liberal Democratic Party candidate Hiroyuki Nakamura by 696 votes, but still was able to secure a seat from Hokkaido's proportional representation block.{{Cite web|title=（速報）衆院選 比例北海道ブロック 立民・大築氏が当選確実｜NHK 北海道のニュース|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031162945/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/sapporo-news/20211101/7000039758.html|website=NHK NEWS WEB|accessdate=10 March 2025|last=日本放送協会|language=ja}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhk.or.jp/senkyo/database/shugiin/2021/01/ | title=衆議院選挙2021 北海道(札幌・函館など)開票速報・選挙結果 |website=衆議院選挙2021特設サイト | publisher=NHK | accessdate=10 March 2025|language=ja}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.asahi.com/senkyo/shuinsen/2021/kaihyo/O01.html | title=【2021年 衆院選】北海道ブロック(比例区)開票速報 |website=衆議院選挙（2021年総選挙）特設サイト | publisher=朝日新聞社 | date= | accessdate=10 March 2025|language=ja}}
Otsuki supported Hokkaido 8th district representative Seiji Osaka during the 2021 Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan presidential election.{{cite news |url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASPCM46VPPCMULEI002.html | title=立憲代表選、4陣営の推薦人は計90人 国会議員の7割固まる | newspaper=朝日新聞 | date=19 November 2021 | accessdate=11 March 2025|language=ja}}
In 2023, Otsuki would speak at a plenary session of the House of Representatives, becoming the first single-term representative to be selected for a speech by the CDP. During the speech, Otsuki argued that women faced difficulty being active in politics due to "old-fashioned" leadership.{{Cite web |title=党幹部級登壇が定石の代表質問 立憲、当選1回の子育て女性議員起用：朝日新聞デジタル |url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASR1T6CYJR1TUTFK00H.html |website=朝日新聞デジタル |date=25 January 2023 |access-date=11 March 2025 |language=ja}}
Otsuki endorsed Saitama 5th district representative Yukio Edano during the 2024 Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan presidential election.{{Cite news|title= 枝野幸男氏の推薦人名簿 立憲民主党代表選|url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUA070ZB0X00C24A9000000/|newspaper=日本経済新聞|date=7 September 2024|language=ja|accessdate=11 March 2025}}
During the 2024 election, Otsuki would stand for re-election to the House of Representatives, once again contesting Hokkaido's 4th district. She would win the election, defeating incumbent LDP candidate Hiroyuki Nakamura with a plurality of 45% of the vote.{{Cite web |title=衆議院選挙 北海道４区 立民・大築紅葉氏が２回目の当選｜NHK 北海道のニュース |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/sapporo-news/20241028/7000070783.html |website=NHK NEWS WEB |access-date=11 March 2025 |language=ja}}
Electoral History
{{Election box begin | title=2024 Hokkaido 4th district election{{cite web|url=https://www.nhk.or.jp/senkyo/database/shugiin/01/|script-title=ja: 小選挙区 北海道|access-date=17 November 2024|publisher=NHK|language=ja}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan
|candidate = Kureha Otsuki
|votes = 101,484
|percentage = 45.1
|change = {{decrease}}4.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
|candidate = Hiroyuki Nakamura (elected by PR)
|votes = 94,090
|percentage = 41.8
|change = {{decrease}} 8.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Japanese Communist Party
|candidate = Akemi Sasaki
|votes = 19,063
|percentage = 8.5
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Independent (politician)
|candidate = Kayo Saitō
|votes = 10,322
|percentage = 4.6
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout
|votes=
|percentage = 57.32
|change = {{decrease}}3.82
}}
{{Election box gain with party link without swing|
|winner = Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan
|loser = Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=2021 Hokkaido 4th district election{{cite web|url=https://www.nhk.or.jp/senkyo/database/shugiin/2021/01/|script-title=ja: 開票速報 小選挙区：北海道 - 2021衆議|access-date=11 November 2021|publisher=NHK|language=ja}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
|candidate = Hiroyuki Nakamura (endorsed by Kōmeitō
|votes = 109,326
|percentage = 50.16
|change = {{increase}}4.24
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan
|candidate = Kureha Otsuki (endorsed by JCP and SDP) (elected by PR)
|votes = 108,630
|percentage = 49.84
|change = {{increase}}9.85
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 696
|percentage = 0.32
|change = {{decrease}}8,62
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes =
|percentage = 61.14
|change = {{decrease}}0.80
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
|swing = {{decrease}}4.31
}}
{{Election box end}}