Event in Japan to push claim for islets

Event in Japan to push claim for islets

Eriko Imai, a Japanese Cabinet Office parliamentary vice minister, speaks at an annual event to mark Shimane Prefecture-designated "Takeshima Day" in Matsue, western Japan, on Feb. 22, 2025, held to push Japan's claim to a group of South Korea-controlled islets in the Sea of Japan.

Pop group SPEED reunited for charity concert

Pop group SPEED reunited for charity concert

AWAJI, Japan - The teenage Okinawan pop group SPEED, which had dissolved last March, was reunited for a day on Awaji Island on Oct. 6 to stage a charity concert for victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States and the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake that devastated the western Japan city of Kobe and its vicinities. The members are Eriko Imai, 18, Takako Uehara, 18, Hitoe Arakaki, 20, and Hiroko Shimabukuro, 17.

Singer Imai wins upper house seat

Singer Imai wins upper house seat

Singer Eriko Imai (L front) poses for a photo with her son Raimu (R front) in Tokyo after winning a seat on the proportional representation list of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Councillors election on July 10, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Campaigning starts for July 10 upper house election

Campaigning starts for July 10 upper house election

Eriko Imai, a member of the female J-pop group SPEED, waves before giving her first stump speech in Tokyo's Yurakucho district on June 22, 2016, in campaigning for the July 10 House of Councillors election. Imai, 32, is a candidate on the proportional representation list of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Campaigning starts for July 10 upper house election

Campaigning starts for July 10 upper house election

Eriko Imai (L), a member of the female J-pop group SPEED, shakes hands with people after giving her first stump speech in Tokyo's Yurakucho district on June 22, 2016, in campaigning for the July 10 House of Councillors election. Imai, 32, is a candidate on the proportional representation list of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

SPEED's Imai announces candidacy for upper house election on LDP ticket

SPEED's Imai announces candidacy for upper house election on LDP ticket

Eriko Imai (C), a singer and member of the female J-pop group SPEED, uses sign language on Feb. 9, 2016, in announcing her candidacy on the Liberal Democratic Party ticket for the upcoming House of Councillors election, during a press conference at the LDP's headquarters in Tokyo. Imai is a 32-year-old single mother raising an 11-year-old son with impaired hearing. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

SPEED's Imai announces candidacy for upper house election on LDP ticket

SPEED's Imai announces candidacy for upper house election on LDP ticket

Eriko Imai, a singer and member of the female J-pop group SPEED, uses sign language on Feb. 9, 2016, in announcing her candidacy on the Liberal Democratic Party ticket for the upcoming House of Councillors election, during a press conference at the LDP's headquarters in Tokyo. Imai is a 32-year-old single mother raising an 11-year-old son with impaired hearing. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Assembly member to resign after money scandal, report on affair

Assembly member to resign after money scandal, report on affair

Ken Hashimoto, a member of the Kobe city assembly in western Japan as seen in this undated photo, said on Aug. 28, 2017, he will resign following allegations he falsified expense claims. Hashimoto recently came under the spotlight for his reported affair with singer-turned-lawmaker Eriko Imai. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Assembly member may have misused public funds in lawmaker's campaign

Assembly member may have misused public funds in lawmaker's campaign

Ken Hashimoto, a member of the Kobe municipal assembly from the Liberal Democratic Party, meets the press at the Kobe city hall in western Japan on July 27, 2017, following reports that the 37-year-old married man has been having an affair with Eriko Imai, an LDP member of the House of Councillors. Hashimoto said his marriage had already broken down, so he thought he could have a romantic relationship with the 33-year-old single mother. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japanese lawmaker Imai reportedly having affair with local assemblyman

Japanese lawmaker Imai reportedly having affair with local assemblyman

Eriko Imai, a member of the House of Councillors from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, bows in apology while meeting the press at the party headquarters in Tokyo on July 27, 2017, following reports that the 33-year-old single mother, a former member of the female vocal-dance group SPEED, has been having an affair with a 37-year-old married man, who is an LDP member of the Kobe municipal assembly. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japanese lawmaker Imai reportedly having affair with local assemblyman

Japanese lawmaker Imai reportedly having affair with local assemblyman

Eriko Imai, a member of the House of Councillors from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, meets the press at the party headquarters in Tokyo on July 27, 2017, following reports that the 33-year-old single mother, a former member of the female vocal-dance group SPEED, has been having an affair with a 37-year-old married man, who is an LDP member of the Kobe municipal assembly. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Singer Imai on 1st day as lawmaker

Singer Imai on 1st day as lawmaker

Eriko Imai (C), a vocalist of the four-member female group SPEED that became popular in the 1990s, meets with reporters at the parliament in Tokyo on Aug. 1, 2016, as she marked the first day as a House of Councillors member from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. An extraordinary Diet session was convened the same day in response to the upper house poll the previous month, with the newly elected entering the Diet. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Singer Imai on 1st day as lawmaker

Singer Imai on 1st day as lawmaker

Eriko Imai (C), a vocalist of the four-member female group SPEED that became popular in the 1990s, arrives at the parliament in Tokyo on Aug. 1, 2016, as she marked the first day as a House of Councillors member from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. An extraordinary Diet session was convened the same day in response to the upper house poll the previous month, with the newly elected entering the Diet. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Singer Imai on 1st day as lawmaker

Singer Imai on 1st day as lawmaker

Eriko Imai, a vocalist of the four-member female group SPEED that became popular in the 1990s, arrives at the parliament in Tokyo on Aug. 1, 2016, as she marked the first day as a House of Councillors member from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. An extraordinary Diet session was convened the same day in response to the upper house poll the previous month, with the newly elected entering the Diet. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Pop group SPEED reunited for charity concert

Pop group SPEED reunited for charity concert

AWAJI, Japan - The teenage Okinawan pop group SPEED, which had dissolved last March, was reunited for a day on Awaji Island on Oct. 6 to stage a charity concert for victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States and the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake that devastated the western Japan city of Kobe and its vicinities. The members are Eriko Imai, 18, Takako Uehara, 18, Hitoe Arakaki, 20, and Hiroko Shimabukuro, 17.