Sugita Mio, LDP Member, Excluded from Proportional Representation Nomination
Controversy Over Mocking Hanbok at Past UN Meeting
Offensive Remarks on Memorial for Korean Laborers and Comfort Women Statue
Mio Sugita, a right-wing politician known for her affiliation with Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), attempted to run as a proportional representation candidate in the House of Representatives election scheduled for the 27th. However, she was denied the party's nomination due to her involvement in a 'political funding scandal.'
In the past, Sugita has sparked controversy with offensive remarks, including mocking women wearing hanbok and supporting the removal of a memorial for Korean laborers. On the 12th, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that "three current and former lawmakers involved in the 'political funding scandal' were excluded from the list of proportional representation candidates announced by the LDP the previous day."
Although these three individuals were entangled in the political funding scandal, the party's local organizations requested their sole nomination as proportional representation candidates, making the approval outcome a matter of public interest. In particular, Sugita was suspended from party duties for six months in April due to a 15.64 million yen (approximately 140 million KRW) discrepancy in her political funding report. Regarding this, Hiroshi Moriyama, the LDP secretary-general, stated, "All three withdrew their applications for nomination," adding, "They have shown a willingness to reflect on their reporting deficiencies and aim for a comeback."
Sugita, who was excluded from the nomination, is a three-term female lawmaker with right-wing tendencies. In 2016, when she participated in the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, she posted sarcastic comments on social media such as "There were even middle-aged women cosplaying in chima jeogori and Ainu traditional costumes, which is a matter of dignity," and "Just breathing the same air makes me uncomfortable," for which she was reprimanded by relevant authorities for human rights violations.
In February, she shared an article about the removal of a memorial for Korean laborers in Gunma Prefecture, expressing the opinion, "This is really good." At that time, Sugita stated, "I hope the memorials or statues of comfort women and Korean Peninsula-origin laborers in Japan will follow suit," and argued, "False monuments are not needed in Japan." She also claimed that pro-North Korean organizations were involved in opposing the removal of the memorial, which sparked accusations of promoting hate speech.
In response, Seokyeongdeok, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, criticized, "This is a reckless remark that denies the entire history of forced mobilization by Imperial Japan and the Japanese military 'comfort women' issue," and pointed out, "Sugita must properly study history going forward, deeply reflect, and issue a sincere public apology."
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