[News Figures] Ikui Na, Japan's Memorial Ceremony Representative, from Entertainer to House of Councillors Member

On the 24th, Akiko Ikuina (生?晃子, 56), a political official (vice-minister level) of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs who attended the 'Sado Mine Memorial Ceremony' held in Sado City, Japan as a representative of the Japanese government, became a subject of controversy. Ikuina has a history of visiting the Yasukuni Shrine. The Sado Mine in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, was a site where Koreans were forced into labor during the Japanese colonial period. The memorial ceremony is a measure that the Japanese government promised our government in July to hold annually for the UNESCO World Heritage registration of the Sado Mine. However, Japan sent a representative with a history of visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, and our government did not participate in the event. The Yasukuni Shrine enshrines Class A war criminals from the Pacific War.

Akiko Ikuina was a member of the popular idol girl group 'Onyanko Club' in the 1980s. 'Onyanko Club' was a girl group with over 50 members. Ikuina was active for one year and three months from 1986 to 1987. She was member number 40 of Onyanko Club. She also performed in the Onyanko Club sub-unit 'Ushirogami Hikaretai' alongside Shizuka Kudo, the wife of Takuya Kimura. After Onyanko Club disbanded, she also worked as an actress. In 1996, she released a semi-nude photo book.

[Photo by Ikuina Akiko]

Ikuina, who married in 2003, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and underwent surgery and reoperation. In 2016, she published a book titled 'Right Breast. Thank You. And Goodbye... Five Surgeries and 1800 Days of Breast Reconstruction,' documenting her battle with cancer. With increased recognition, Ikuina entered politics through the 2022 House of Councillors (upper house) election. When she made her first campaign speech, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave a supporting speech. At that time, Abe's faction was reportedly looking for a well-known female candidate to run in the House of Councillors election. Ikuina is known as the last candidate Abe tried to support. Former Prime Minister Abe was shot and killed on July 8, 2022. Subsequently, Ikuina was elected by ranking fifth in the Tokyo House of Councillors election. It is reported that Abe's former secretary later moved to become Ikuina's secretary.

Ikuina was appointed as a political official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this month. The position of political official is considered equivalent to a vice-minister to bureau chief level in Korea. It is a position following the minister and vice minister in the ministry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has two vice ministers and three political officials.

Meanwhile, Ikuina attended the memorial ceremony dressed in a black suit and said, "Among the mine workers, many came from the Korean Peninsula based on Japan's wartime labor policies in the 1940s," adding, "Even under the special social circumstances of war, they engaged in difficult labor in the dangerous and harsh environment inside the mine, thinking of their beloved families far from their hometown." However, there was no acknowledgment or apology regarding forced labor.