{{short description|Japanese actress and politician (1933–2023)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Chikage Oogi | native_name = {{nobold|扇 千景}} | native_name_lang = ja | image = Chikage Ogi 2001.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2001 | office = President of the House of Councillors | deputy = Giichi Tsunoda<br>Akira Imaizumi | term_start = 30 July 2004 | term_end = 28 July 2007 | monarch = Akihito | predecessor = Hiroyuki Kurata | successor = Satsuki Eda {{collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes | Ministerial offices |titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}} {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office1 = Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | prime_minister1 = Yoshirō Mori<br />Junichirō Koizumi | term_start1 = 6 January 2001 | term_end1 = 22 September 2003 | predecessor1 = ''Office established'' | successor1 = Nobuteru Ishihara | office2 = Minister of Transport | prime_minister2 = Yoshirō Mori | term_start2 = 5 December 2000 | term_end2 = 6 January 2001 | predecessor2 = Hajime Morita | successor2 = ''Office abolished'' | office3 = Director-General of the Hokkaido Development Agency | prime_minister3 = Yoshirō Mori | term_start3 = 5 December 2000 | term_end3 = 6 January 2001 | predecessor3 = Hajime Morita | successor3 = ''Office abolished'' | office4 = Minister of Construction | prime_minister4 = Yoshirō Mori | term_start4 = 4 July 2000 | term_end4 = 6 January 2001 | predecessor4 = Masaaki Nakayama | successor4 = ''Office abolished'' | office5 = Director-General of the National Land Agency | prime_minister5 = Yoshirō Mori | term_start5 = 4 July 2000 | term_end5 = 6 January 2001 | predecessor5 = Masaaki Nakayama | successor5 = ''Office abolished'' {{Collapsed infobox section end}} }} {{collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes | Party political offices |titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}} {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office6 = Leader of the New Conservative Party | term_start6 = 3 April 2000 | term_end6 = September 2001 | predecessor6 = ''Position established'' | successor6 = Takeshi Noda {{Collapsed infobox section end}} }} | office7 = Member of the House of Councillors | constituency7 = National PR | term_start7 = September 1993 | term_end7 = 28 July 2007 | predecessor7 = Kenji Yamaoka | successor7 = ''Multi-member district'' | constituency8 = National district (1977–1983)<br>National PR (1983–1989) | term_start8 = 11 July 1977 | term_end8 = 23 July 1989 | predecessor8 = | successor8 = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1933|5|10}} | birth_place = Suma, Kobe, Japan | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2023|3|9|1933|5|10}} | death_place = Tokyo, Japan | party = Liberal Democratic<br>(1977–1993; 2003–2023) | other_party = JRP (1993–1994)<br>NFP (1994–1997)<br>LP (1998–2000)<br>NCP (2000–2003) | education = Takarazuka Music School | alma_mater = | occupation = Actress and politician | spouse = {{marriage|Sakata Tōjūrō IV|1958|2020|end=d}} | children = {{ubl|Nakamura Ganjirō IV (eldest son)|Nakamura Senjaku III (youngest son)}} | relatives = {{ubl|Nakamura Ganjirō II (father-in-law)|Tamao Nakamura (sister-in-law)|Shintaro Katsu (brother-in-law)|Azuma Tokuho II (daughter-in-law)|Nakamura Kazutarō (grandson)|Nakamura Toranosuke (grandson)}} | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} {{nihongo|'''Chikage Oogi'''|扇 千景|Ōgi Chikage}}, real name {{Nihongo|'''Hiroko Hayashi'''|林 寛子|Hayashi Hiroko}} (born {{nihongo|'''Hiroko Kimura'''|木村 寛子|Kimura Hiroko}}; 10 May 1933 – 9 March 2023), was a Japanese actress and politician. During her 30-year-long political career, she served in various important governmental posts, and became the first female President of the House of Councillors, a role she held from 2004 to 2007.
Her pseudonymous surname is also spelled '''Ogi''', '''Ōgi''' and '''Ohgi''' for a variety of Hepburn romanization systems. She herself used '''Oogi'''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sangiin.go.jp/eng/guide/greet/index.htm |title=Greetings from the President of the House of Councillors |access-date=31 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110064934/http://www.sangiin.go.jp/eng/guide/greet/index.htm |archive-date=10 November 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Early life == Oogi was born and brought up in Kobe, Hyogo. She survived the Kobe Air Raid at age 11. She wrote later that her experience of the air raid had convinced her to make efforts to attain peace and national defense.<ref name="dekiru">Chikage Oogi, ''Dekiru Koto Deki nai Koto'', Sekaibunkasha, {{ISBN|4-418-01509-4}}</ref>
== Stage career == [[File:Chikage-Oogi-1.png|thumb|left|200px|Oogi appeared in Kokusai Johosha 1957]] Oogi graduated from Takarazuka Music School and joined the Takarazuka Revue in April 1954. Her first movie appearance was in October of that year. She retired from the revue in 1958.
Oogi had been a full-time homemaker for a year until she returned to work in a television drama on 29 October 1959, and later appeared on many television dramas and variety shows. She also hosted a popular tabloid show ''Sanji no Anata'' from 1971 to 1977. One of her co-hosts was Yoshiko Ōtaka, who was elected to the House of Councillors in 1974.
== Political career == [[File:20051027Sakata Tōjūrō 1.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Then-Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (left), kabuki actor Sakata Tōjūrō IV (center), and actress and politician Chikage Oogi (right) during their meeting at the Kantei in Tokyo (27 October 2005)]] [[File:Chikage Ogi 2006.png|thumb|left|200px|Oogi in Brazil in August 2006]] Strenuously lobbied to run by Takeo Fukuda, Oogi first elected to the House of Councillors as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party in 1977. She was voted out in 1989, but elected again in 1993. The following year she left the LDP and joined the Japan Renewal Party, which merged into the New Frontier Party on 10 December 1994. The NFP torn up on 31 December 1997, Oogi became a member of the Liberal Party, stringing along with Ichirō Ozawa.
It was in 2000 that Oogi came to the forefront. She founded the Conservative Party, renamed the New Conservative Party soon, and became its first leader in April. Prime Minister of Japan Yoshiro Mori appointed Oogi as Minister of Construction and Director General of the National Land Agency in July, and also as Minister of Transportation and Director General of Hokkaido Development Agency in December. When these ministries and agencies merged into the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as a result of the administrative reform of 2001, Oogi was installed as its first minister. She drew the nameboard displayed at the entrance of the building of the ministry with black ink and a brush.
The New Conservative Party's debacle at the House of Councillors election in July 2001 heightened calls among party members for a change in leadership. Oogi resigned as party leader and was succeeded by Takeshi Noda on 17 September 2001.
Oogi joined the Liberal Democratic Party in 2003 again for the first time since 1977. She was installed as the 26th President of the House of Councillors on 30 July 2004. She attended at the World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments held by the Inter-Parliamentary Union in September 2005.<ref>[https://www.un.org/av/photo/detail/0086614.html United Nations Photo: World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments by IPU]</ref> In October 2006 she made an official visit to China.<ref>[http://www.cctv.com/english/20061017/101020.shtml CCTV International - The President of the House of Councilors, Chikage Oogi arrive]</ref>
In May 2007, Oogi announced her retirement from politics in July so that she could lead an ordinary life with her family.<ref>[http://www.sankei.co.jp/seiji/seikyoku/070511/skk070511000.htm {{nihongo2|普通の生活をしたい 扇参院議長が政界引退を正式表明}}], ''Sankei Shimbun'', 11 May 2007</ref> Her term of office expired on 28 July 2007.
== Political views == === Constitution === Oogi has critical views against the Constitution of Japan of 1947. She has said that the constitution has many problems such as ignoring environmental rights, obfuscating the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and its international contribution to keep peace, and excessively protecting criminals while making light of crime victims' human rights. She also made a controversial remark: "The Constitution of Japan deprived Japanese women of their graces of character."<ref>''Sankei Shimbun'', 3 May 2000</ref>
=== Transfer of capital functions === A suggestion to transfer some capital functions out of Tokyo came under review in 1990s to solve the problem posed by the overconcentration of people in Tokyo. Oogi, who was the Minister of Construction in charge of this issue, expressed opposition to the transfer in September 2000. Her opposition created conflicts with Prime Minister Mori and with the mayors of the candidate cities.<ref>''Mainichi Shimbun Morning Edition'', 8 September 2000</ref>
=== Imperial succession === Upon Prince Hisahito's birth in September 2006, Oogi suggested that the lawmakers take a cautious attitude toward the Government's move to allow female and matrilineal succession of the Imperial Throne. She appreciated Princess Akishino for her third deliverance in this day of declining birthrate and said "We women would like to look to her as a model."<ref>''Mainichi Shimbun Morning Edition'', 7 September 2006</ref>
=== Tokyo International Airport === In 2000, Oogi proposed that Tokyo International Airport expand the international air service. Narita Airport, second busiest airport in Tokyo metropolitan area, which almost monopolized international flight service to Tokyo, is so distant from central Tokyo that there has long been a strong call among Japanese people for international air service of Tokyo Airport. Oogi's proposal was welcomed by then-Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara.<ref>Yoshiko Sakurai, "Opinion: Jūō Mujin", ''Weekly Diamond'', 24 February 2001</ref>
== Personal life and death == In October 1958, Oogi married to Sakata Tōjūrō IV, a kabuki actor. They had two sons, Tomotaro (b. 6 February 1959) and Hirotaro (b. 19 December 1960), who are also both kabuki actors, following in their father's path. She had long hoped to have daughters or granddaughters possibly to be a Takarazuka actress.<ref name="dekiru" />
Oogi's husband was notorious as a womanizer, as he admitted.<ref>Ganjiro Nakamura, "Watashi no Rirekisho", ''Nihon Keizai Shimbun'', January 2005</ref> Interviewed about his love affair with a maiko, which was exposed in a tabloid magazine in 2002,<ref>''Friday'', Kodansha, 7 June 2002</ref> Oogi answered "I know that girl. She is intelligent and I favor her too," adding "A husband not attractive to women would be boring."<ref>''Tokudane'', Fuji Television, 7 June 2002</ref>
Her husband, Sakata Tōjūrō IV died of natural causes{{Broken anchor|date=2024-07-23|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Manner of death#Death by natural causes|reason= The anchor (Death by natural causes) has been deleted.}} at the hospital in Tokyo on 12 November 2020, at the age of 88. About three years later, Oogi died of esophageal cancer at the hospital in Tokyo on 9 March 2023, at the age of 89. Old couple's death were both unrelated to triple Fukushima disaster and COVID-19 and Omicron infections. The announcement of her death to the media was delayed until 13 March 2023.<ref>{{cite news |title=元女優・元参議院議長の扇千景さんが死去「食道胃接合部がん」のため 89歳 |url=https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/374830 |access-date=14 March 2023 |publisher=TBS News |date=13 March 2023}}</ref>
== Honours == * Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, 2003. {{JPN}} * Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon, 2008. {{ROC}} * Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers, 2010. {{JPN}}
== Filmography == * ''Kaiketsutaka'' Series, 1954 * ''Onna no Gakkō'', 1955 * ''Hatsukoi Waltz'', 1955 * ''Shirai Gonpachi'', 1956 * ''Shippū! Kurama Tengu'', 1956 * ''Hakoiri Musume to Bantō'', 1956 * ''Koi sugata kitsune goten'' (恋すがた狐御殿) (1956) * ''Otoko no Hanamichi'', 1956 * ''Ujō'', 1957 * ''Bibō no Miyako'', 1957 * ''A Teapicker's Song of Goodbye'', 1957 * ''A Farewell to the Woman Called My Sister'', 1957 * ''Hanayome wa Matteiru'', 1957 * ''Seishun Kōro'', 1957 * ''A Holiday in Tokyo'', 1958 * ''Salaryman Shusse Taikōki'', 1958 * ''Mikkokusha wa Dare ka'', 1958 * ''Sanroku'', 1962 * ''Mujō Hijō'', 1968 * ''Profound Desires of the Gods'', 1968<ref>{{cite web |url= https://eiga.com/movie/35664/|title= 神々の深き欲望|access-date= March 10, 2021|work= eiga.com}}</ref>
== See also == * Takako Doi – The first female Speaker of the House of Representatives (1993–1996) * Hisayasu Nagata * Junichiro Koizumi * List of members of the Diet of Japan * List of the first female holders of political offices
== References == {{refbegin}} * Chikage Oogi, ''Ketsudan no Toki'', Sekaibunkasha, 2007, {{ISBN|4-418-75119-X}} * Kyoko Shimazaki, ''Kono Kuni de Onna de Aru to Iu Koto'', Kyoiku Shiryo Shuppankai, 2001, {{ISBN|4-87652-411-4}} * ''Yomiuri Shimbun Morning Edition'', 28 July 2007 {{refend}} {{reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Chikage Oogi}} * {{IMDb name|0644673}} * {{jmdb name|id=0235580|name={{nihongo2|扇千景}}}} * [http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/koizumidaijin/020930/10ogi_e.html Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport] - Introduction by the Cabinet
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Hiroyuki Kurata}} {{s-ttl|title=President of the House of Councillors|years=30 July 2004 – 28 July 2007}} {{s-aft|after=Satsuki Eda}} {{s-new|reason=established}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport|years=6 January 2001 – 22 September 2003}} {{s-aft|after=Nobuteru Ishihara}} {{s-new|reason=established}} {{s-ttl|title=Leader of New Conservative Party|years=1 April 2000 – 17 September 2001}} {{s-aft|after=Takeshi Noda}} {{s-bef|before=Masaaki Nakayama}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of Construction|years=4 July 2000 – 6 January 2001}} {{s-non|rows=4|reason=extinct}} {{s-bef|before=Masaaki Nakayama}} {{s-ttl|title=Director General of the National Land Agency|years=4 July 2000 – 6 January 2001}} {{s-bef|before=Hajime Morita}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of Transportation|years=5 December 2000 – 6 January 2001}} {{s-bef|before=Hajime Morita}} {{s-ttl|title=Director General of Hokkaido Development Agency|years=5 December 2000 – 6 January 2001}} {{end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oogi, Chikage}} Category:1933 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Deaths from esophageal cancer in Japan Category:Hayashi family Category:Ministers of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism of Japan Category:Ministers of construction of Japan Category:Ministers of transport of Japan Category:Members of the House of Councillors (Japan) Category:Women government ministers of Japan Category:Women members of the House of Councillors (Japan) Category:Japanese actresses Category:Japanese actor-politicians Category:Actresses from Kobe Category:Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) politicians Category:New Conservative Party (Japan) politicians Category:Japan Renewal Party politicians Category:New Frontier Party (Japan) politicians Category:20th-century Japanese women politicians Category:21st-century Japanese politicians Category:21st-century Japanese women politicians Category:Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun Category:Recipients of the Order of Brilliant Star Category:Presidents of the House of Councillors (Japan)