Fusae Ohta

Who is Fusae Ohta?

Fusae Ohta is a Japanese politician, a former governor of Osaka prefecture, and the country's first female prefectural governor.

Born in Kure, Hiroshima, she later moved to Toyohashi, Aichi.

After graduating from the University of Tokyo with an economics degree in 1976, Ohta entered the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. She served in MITI until 1997, when she became vice-governor of Okayama prefecture. She returned to the ministry in 1999.

Ohta became governor of Osaka prefecture after the resignation of Knock Yokoyama in 2000. She was re-elected in 2004, and after eight years in office was succeeded by lawyer and TV personality Tōru Hashimoto.

Osaka hosts the March sumo tournament, one of Japan's six major tournaments, and the governor of each prefecture presents the "Governor's Prize" to the champion of each tournament. Given the Sumo Association's view that there was a ban on women entering the Dohyō, and the ring would be "violated" by an "unclean" woman entering it, she was required to do so on the walkway beside the ring or send a male representative in her place. She repeatedly challenged the Sumo Association's policy by requesting to be allowed to fulfill her traditional role as Governor. Her requests were repeatedly rejected until she stepped down from office.