Midori Matsushima

{{Update|date=September 2024|updated=4 September 2024|reason=Infobox must be updated}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Midori Matsushima

| native_name = {{nobold|松島みどり}}

| native_name_lang = ja

| image = Midori Baba cropped 2 Midori Baba and Li Yong 20131105.jpg

| imagesize = 220px

| caption = Matsushima in 2013

| office = Minister of Justice

| primeminister = Shinzo Abe

| term_start = 3 September 2014

| term_end = 20 October 2014

| predecessor = Sadakazu Tanigaki

| successor = Yōko Kamikawa

| office1 = Member of the House of Representatives

| constituency1 = Tokyo 14th

| term_start1 = 19 December 2012

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 = Taketsuka Kimura

| successor1 =

| constituency2 = Tokyo PR (2000–2003)
Tokyo 14th (2003–2009)

| term_start2 = 26 June 2000

| term_end2 = 21 July 2009

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 = Taketsuka Kimura

| birth_name = Midori Baba

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|7|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Toyonaka, Japan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Liberal Democratic

| alma_mater = University of Tokyo

| occupation = Reporter

}}

Midori Matsushima (松島みどり, Matsushima Midori; born 15 July 1956) also known by her real official name {{nihongo|Midori Baba|馬場みどり|Baba Midori}} is a Japanese politician. Who served as Japan's Minister of Justice in 2014, she later resigned in the same year after an allegation of violating electoral laws by distributing paper fans to voters.{{Cite web |last=Sieg |first=Linda |date=October 20, 2014 |title=Japan's Minister of Justice face Allegations |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/japan-s-abenomics-rocked-as-two-key-female-ministers-resign-over-funding-row-9806897 |website=www.independent.co.uk}}

Overview

Matsushima, hailing from Hyogo Prefecture and an alumnus of the University of Tokyo, initially worked for the Japanese national newspaper Asahi Shimbun from 1980 to 1995. Following an unsuccessful election attempt in 1996, she was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2000, and subsequently re-elected in 2003 and 2005.{{Cite web |date=2007-12-03 |title=政治家情報～松島みどり～ |url=http://www.senkyo.janjan.jp/diet/profile/0000/00000083.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203094038/http://www.senkyo.janjan.jp/diet/profile/0000/00000083.html |archive-date=2007-12-03 |access-date=2024-03-19}} She served as a member of the House of Representatives for the Liberal Democratic Party, representing Tokyo's 14th district in the Diet (national legislature) for seven times.{{Cite web |title=MATSUSHIMA_Midori_Shugiin |url=https://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_english.nsf/html/statics/member/e383.htm |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=shugiin.go.jp}}

Resignation

Midori Matsushima resigned from her position as Japan's Minister of Justice in October 2014 due to allegations of violating election laws. Specifically, she was accused of distributing paper fans, known as “uchiwa,” with her name and image on them to voters, which was considered a form of bribery under Japanese election law. This controversy led to significant political pressure, ultimately resulting in her resignation.{{Cite news |date=2014-10-20 |title=Japan ministers Yuko Obuchi and Midori Matsushima quit |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29684631 |access-date=2024-09-04 |publisher=BBC News}}