Liberal Democratic Party and played an integral role in enacting legislations concerning domestic violence, gender equality, child pornography and activities of non-profit organizations. With growing popularity as a young, charismatic politician, she was chosen as one of the Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum in 2000. Tsujimoto has also argued for dialogue rather than confrontation with North Korea, proposing that the North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens can best be solved by "embedding North Korea as a member of international society". Scandal, resignation, and comeback Kiyomi Tsujimoto was one of the chief antagonists of the beleaguered Muneo Suzuki during the scandals that emerged in 2002. Suzuki was ultimately jailed for fraud. But, as a result of internal tensions between newcomers and veterans in the SDP, a staff member of the Democratic Party of Japan who had formerly worked for the SDP accused Tsujimoto of using her secretary's government salary to cover campaign expenses. Tsujimoto admitted unauthorised use of funds, resigned her seat in the Diet, and was given a suspended sentence. Her political career was not over. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the House of Councillors in the 11 July 2004 elections, but won a proportional representation seat for the House of Representatives in the 11 September 2005 elections that also returned Prime Minister Junichirō Koizumi to power. Suzuki's political fate has run parallel to Tsujimoto's. He also ran unsuccessfully in 2004 for a seat in the House of Councillors but was subsequently elected to the House of Representatives in 2005. See also Peace Boat References External links Peace Boat Web site "Tsujimoto throws her hat into ring", 17 August 2005, The Japan Times "Tsujimoto bares teeth, licks wounds" 28 March 2002, Mainichi Daily News What's all this, eh? by Eric Johnston, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan Kiyomi Tsujimoto, part II by Eric Johnston, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan |- 1960 births Living people Female members of the House of Representatives (Japan) Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) Japanese activists Japanese women activists Japanese feminists Japanese fraudsters Japanese politicians convicted of crimes Politicians from Nara Prefecture Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan politicians Democratic Party of Japan politicians Social Democratic Party (Japan) politicians Waseda University alumni 21st-century Japanese politicians 21st-century Japanese women politicians