The Akutagawa Prize is a Japanese literary award presented biannually. Because of its prestige and the considerable attention the winner receives from the media, it is, along with the Naoki Prize, one of Japan's most sought after literary prizes.
Renhō Saitō, known mononymously as Renhō, is a Japanese politician and former journalist who served as member of the House of Councillors from 2004 to 2024. She was the leader of the now-defunct major opposition party, the Democratic Party from 2016 to 2017. Renhō was a candidate for the 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election with the support of the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), Japanese Communist Party (JCP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), but was defeated by incumbent Yuriko Koike, placing third behind Shinji Ishimaru.
The Naoki Prize, officially Naoki Sanjugo Prize, is a Japanese literary award presented biannually. It was created in 1935 by Kikuchi Kan, then editor of the Bungeishunjū magazine, and named in memory of novelist Naoki Sanjugo. Sponsored by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature, the award recognizes "the best work of popular literature in any format by a new, rising, or established author." The winner receives a watch and one million yen.
Kenta Izumi is a Japanese politician who served as leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) from 2021 to 2024. He is also a member of the House of Representatives in the National Diet, currently for the Kyoto 3rd district. He was first elected in 2000 under the Democratic Party of Japan. He served as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Cabinet Office from 2009 to 2010. After that, he served as chairman of the National Diet Measures Committee and Political Affairs Research Chairman of the Kibō no Tō, the Democratic Party for the People, and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
Junya Ogawa is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party, and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. A native of Takamatsu, Kagawa and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1994. Leaving the ministry in 2003, he ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in the same year. Two years later, he ran again and lost for a second time. He ran for a third time in 2009 and was elected for Kagawa 1st district.
The Party for Japanese Kokoro, officially the Party to Cherish the Heart of Japan, was a Japanese political party. It was formed as the Party for Future Generations on 1 August 2014 by a group of Diet members led by Shintarō Ishihara. The party adopted its final name in December 2015, and ended up dissolving in November 2018.
Mizuho Katayama is a synchronized swimming coach in Japan. Born to a Korean family in Japan, she participated in Japanese domestic synchronized swimming competitions under the name Mizuho Kōchi, and represented South Korea in international competitions under the name Kim Mijinsu, most notably in the women's solo and women's duet competitions at the 1988 Summer Olympics. After her retirement from the South Korean national team, she married and began using her current name.
The Japan Innovation Party is a conservative and centre-right to right-wing populist political party in Japan. Formed as Initiatives from Osaka in October 2015 from a split in the old Japan Innovation Party, the party became the third-biggest opposition party in the National Diet following the 2016 House of Councillors election.
Rathnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali was a Sri Lankan woman who died in custody at an immigration detention facility in Nagoya, Japan, after her requests for provisional release and adequate medical care were denied. Japanese authorities detained Wishma in August 2020 for overstaying her visa, which was discovered after she reported experiencing domestic violence.
The 2022 Nagasaki gubernatorial election was a gubernatorial election held on 20 February 2022 to elect the next governor of Nagasaki, a prefecture of Japan in the north-west of Kyushu.
Kimi Onoda is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party. She served as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense from 2022 to 2023 and is a member of the House of Councillors representing Okayama. She previously served as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Justice from 2020 to 2021 under the Suga Cabinet.
Nobuyuki Baba is a Japanese politician who has been the leader of the Japan Innovation Party since 27 August 2022. He is also a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet, currently for the Osaka 17th district.
2023 Wakayama 1st district by-election was held on 23 April 2023 because Shuhei Kishimoto resigned as a member of the House of Representatives.
Otokita Shun is a Japanese politician who is serving as a member of the National Diet in the House of Councillors for Nippon Ishin no Kai from the Tokyo at-large district. He is now serving as chair of the party's parliamentary policy bureau.
On April 28, 2024, by-elections in Japan were held in order to fill vacancies in the National Diet of Japan. In the October 27 slot, there will be at least one national by-election, for the Iwate senate seat in the 2022 class after incumbent Megumi Hirose (LDP→independent) has resigned.
2023 Ōita at-large district by-election was held on 23 April 2023 because Kiyoshi Adachi resigned as a member of the House of Councillors.
Makoto Yamashita is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Nara Prefecture in Japan.
Saeko Umemura is a Japanese politician. She represented the Japanese Communist Party in the Japanese House of Representatives.
The 2024 Hyōgo gubernatorial election took place on 17 November 2024 to elect the governor of Hyōgo, Japan. Incumbent Motohiko Saitō was re-elected for a second term.
