Finnish-born Marutei Tsurunen retains upper house seat

Finnish-born Marutei Tsurunen retains upper house seat

TOKYO, Japan - Marutei Tsurunen, a Finnish-born Japanese citizen, retains his seat for a second six-year term in the July 29 election for the upper chamber of parliament. Tsurunen, 67, contested in the nationwide proportional representation portion of the election on the Democratic Party of Japan ticket. The photo shows Tsurunen taking part in deliberations at the House of Councillors Defense Committee on May 22.

Tsurunen hopes to fulfill expectations of Japanese

Tsurunen hopes to fulfill expectations of Japanese

TOKYO, Japan - Marutei Tsurunen, a naturalized Japanese citizen from Finland, speaks at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan in Tokyo on Feb. 15. He said he believes his election to the Diet as the first Caucasian-Japanese was down to expectations among voters that maybe he can do something new. ''It's not support, but it's expectations,'' said Tsurunen, 61, who took up a vacated seat in the House of Councillors as a member of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.

Naturalized Japanese citizen Tsurunen makes debut in Diet

Naturalized Japanese citizen Tsurunen makes debut in Diet

TOKYO, Japan - Marutei Tsurunen, a naturalized Japanese citizen from Finland, is applauded by members of the House of Councillors after being introduced at the upper house's plenary session in Tokyo on Feb. 8. Tsurunen, who was runner-up on the Democratic Party of Japan's candidate list in last July's upper chamber election, is taking up the seat vacated by Kyosen Ohashi, a former TV perrsonality, who resigned late last month.

Tsurunen debuts at Diet

Tsurunen debuts at Diet

TOKYO, Japan - Marutei Tsurunen, a naturalized Japanese citizen from Finland, makes his debut Feb. 8 at the House of Councillors as a member of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan. Tsurunen, pinned with a legislator's badge at the entrance of the Diet, took up the Diet seat vacated by Kyosen Ohashi, a former TV personality who resigned late last month.

Tsurunen's election announcement expected Feb. 8

Tsurunen's election announcement expected Feb. 8

TOKYO, Japan - File photo shows Marutei Tsurunen, a naturalized Japanese from Finland, who is expected to receive a certificate for his election as a member of the House of Councillors on Feb. 8. Tsurunen, 61, the runner-up on the Democratic Party of Japan candidate list in last year's upper house election, will fill the seat vacated by Kyosen Ohashi, who resigned in January 2002.

Tsurunen to be awarded upper chamber seat

Tsurunen to be awarded upper chamber seat

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Marutei Tsurunen, a Finnish-born naturalized Japanese citizen, smiles at a news conference in Yokohama on Jan. 29 as he will be awarded an upper chamber seat after Kyosen Ohashi, a House of Councillors member of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, tendered a resignation earlier in the day to upper house President Yutaka Inoue.

Marutei Tsurunen to fill seat vacated by Ohashi

Marutei Tsurunen to fill seat vacated by Ohashi

TOKYO, Japan - File photo shows Marutei Tsurunen, a Finnish-born naturalized Japanese citizen, who will be awarded an upper chamber seat vacated by Kyosen Ohashi of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) on Jan. 29. Tsurunen is the runner-up on the DPJ's list of candidates in the proportional representation section.

Marutei Tsurunen to fill seat vacated by Ohashi

Marutei Tsurunen to fill seat vacated by Ohashi

TOKYO, Japan - File photo shows Marutei Tsurunen, a Finnish-born naturalized Japanese citizen, who will be awarded an upper chamber seat vacated by Kyosen Ohashi of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) on Jan. 29. Tsurunen is the runner-up on the DPJ's list of candidates in the proportional representation section.

Tsurunen to be awarded upper chamber seat

Tsurunen to be awarded upper chamber seat

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Marutei Tsurunen, a Finnish-born naturalized Japanese citizen, smiles at a news conference in Yokohama on Jan. 29 as he will be awarded an upper chamber seat after Kyosen Ohashi, a House of Councillors member of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, tendered a resignation earlier in the day to upper house President Yutaka Inoue.

Tsurunen's election announcement expected Feb. 8

Tsurunen's election announcement expected Feb. 8

TOKYO, Japan - File photo shows Marutei Tsurunen, a naturalized Japanese from Finland, who is expected to receive a certificate for his election as a member of the House of Councillors on Feb. 8. Tsurunen, 61, the runner-up on the Democratic Party of Japan candidate list in last year's upper house election, will fill the seat vacated by Kyosen Ohashi, who resigned in January 2002.

Tsurunen hopes to fulfill expectations of Japanese

Tsurunen hopes to fulfill expectations of Japanese

TOKYO, Japan - Marutei Tsurunen, a naturalized Japanese citizen from Finland, speaks at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan in Tokyo on Feb. 15. He said he believes his election to the Diet as the first Caucasian-Japanese was down to expectations among voters that maybe he can do something new. ''It's not support, but it's expectations,'' said Tsurunen, 61, who took up a vacated seat in the House of Councillors as a member of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.

Tsurunen debuts at Diet

Tsurunen debuts at Diet

TOKYO, Japan - Marutei Tsurunen, a naturalized Japanese citizen from Finland, makes his debut Feb. 8 at the House of Councillors as a member of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan. Tsurunen, pinned with a legislator's badge at the entrance of the Diet, took up the Diet seat vacated by Kyosen Ohashi, a former TV personality who resigned late last month.

Naturalized Japanese citizen Tsurunen makes debut in Diet

Naturalized Japanese citizen Tsurunen makes debut in Diet

TOKYO, Japan - Marutei Tsurunen, a naturalized Japanese citizen from Finland, is applauded by members of the House of Councillors after being introduced at the upper house's plenary session in Tokyo on Feb. 8. Tsurunen, who was runner-up on the Democratic Party of Japan's candidate list in last July's upper chamber election, is taking up the seat vacated by Kyosen Ohashi, a former TV perrsonality, who resigned late last month.