Pioneering woman lawmaker Yamaguchi dies
News On Japan via NHKReloaded -- Nov 01
One of Japan's first-generation female lawmakers Shizue Yamaguchi has died. She was 94 years old.
A company at which Yamaguchi served as president said on Wednesday that the former politician died on April 3rd of kidney failure.
The firm says, according to her wishes, the public announcement of the death was put off until October 31st, which would have been Yamaguchi's 95th birthday.
Yamaguchi was born in Tokyo in 1917. She was elected to the Lower House of the Diet as a member of the now defunct Socialist Party in Japan's first general election with women candidates in 1946.
Yamaguchi joined the Liberal Democratic Party in 1967. She served 13 terms as a Diet lawmaker and in key government posts including parliamentary vice minister.
She received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1977.
Source: NHKReloaded
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