Emiko Okuyama is a Japanese politician. She served as the mayor of Sendai from 2009 to 2017.
Career Okuyama was born in Akita City, Japan on 23 June 1951. Her father was a public official, and when Okuyama was a child he would often take her around the country with him.仙台市長の奥山恵美子さんに聞く：社会って、そもそも何だろう？／社会って、そもそもなんだろう？｜宮城の新聞 2015年2月14日 After graduating from Tohoku University's economics department, she began working in the Sendai City town hall. She rose through many positions in the city government until being appointed the vice mayor in 2007.
In July 2009, Okuyama ran for Sendai City mayor with the support of the Democratic Party of Japan and the Social Democratic Party of Japan. She was the first woman to become elected mayor of a major Japanese city.奥山氏優位、岩崎氏追う 仙台市長選26日投票 『四国新聞社』 2009年7月24日、2015年12月12日閲覧仙台市長選 『産経新聞』 2009年7月28日、2015年12月12日閲覧
In the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Okuyama was recognized by the German Sustainability Award in 2012. She also has spoken before the United Nations about Sendai's disaster-recovery efforts and plans to increase the city's disaster preparedness.
Okuyama was re-elected on 11 August 2013, overcoming Tatsuya Kadono of the Japanese Communist Party. In 2017, Okuyama decided to retire, and chose not to run for office again. Although she had backed Hironori Sugahara in his campaign for the mayoral position, Kazuko Kori was elected the Mayor of Sendai instead.仙台市長選 郡和子氏が初当選 自公敗北、加計問題影響 - 毎日新聞（2017年7月23日発信、同年7月24日閲覧）
References
External links Emiko Okuyama official website City of Sendai official website
Public OfficePredecessor：Katsuhiko UmeharaMayor of Sendai City2009 – 2017Successor：Kazuko Kōri