Anthony Bianchi (, born August 26, 1958) is a Japanese politician, who was an American citizen of Italian descent and became a naturalized Japanese citizen in 2002. He is a city councillor of Inuyama, Aichi, and the chairman of Inuyama City council from 2017 to 2019. He is the first naturalized Japanese to serve as a city council top in Japan.
Background Bianchi was born on August 26, 1958, in Brooklyn, New York.早川昌幸「あの人に迫る ビアンキ・アンソニー 愛知県犬山市議 サムライ精神で市民の思い代弁」 『東京新聞』2012年11月25日付朝刊、10面。 He graduated from Xaverian High School in June 1976. After graduating from New York University in June 1980,履歴・CV | ビアンキアンソニー犬山市議会議員 he became a member of Embassy Communications.ビアンキ アンソニー Facebook 自己紹介
By the finale of the sitcom The Jeffersons, he left Embassy Communications. Then he worked in the government of New York City. In 1989, he went to Aichi Prefecture, Japan as an Assistant Language Teacher under the JET Program.Vol.035 議会議員 ビアンキ・アンソニー 犬山市議会議員 ｜ 若者と政治を結ぶ NPO法人ドットジェイピー「週刊NY生活」 2015年2月21日。 From April 1996, he worked in the Municipal Board of Education of Inuyama, Aichi. He married a Japanese woman in 2000.
Political career Bianchi was naturalized in Japan in 2002. He joined in the election for city councilors of Inuyama, Aichi on April 27, 2003, where he was elected at the top of all candidates.犬山市議会議員一般選挙・得票数｜犬山市 After became the city councilor, he called for the disclosure of information by presenting the meetings of city council on television and putting minutes on the homepage of Inuyama, Aichi.平岩勇司「犬山市議会 ビアンキ市議 初の一般質問 『議会中継、HPに議事録を』」 『中日新聞』2003年6月17日付朝刊、近郊版、20面。
On September 5, 2006, the former mayor of Inuyama, Yoshihiro Ishida resigned after declaring he will join the election for the governor of Aichi Prefecture,『中日新聞』2006年9月5日付夕刊、1面。 Bianchi resigned the city councilor on October 19, by declaring he will join the election for mayor of Inuyama on December 17,『毎日新聞』2006年10月20日。 but lost.犬山市長選挙・得票数｜犬山市
On May 11, 2017, Bianchi was elected as the chairman of City Council of Inuyama.
In February 2018, a new system called "Residents' Free Speech System", was introduced in Inuyama City Council by Bianchi which let every resident of Inuyama come to the meeting of the city council to leave comments or ask questions.三田村泰和「フリースピーチ 身近な議会に一役 犬山で本年度最後 市民が自由に意見 拍手OK」 『中日新聞』2018年9月11日付朝刊、近郊版、18面。 As this system was evaluated by citizens, City Council of Inuyama earned the "13th Manifesto Award" on November 9, 2018.『東京新聞』2018年11月10日付朝刊、6面、「犬山市議会にマニフェスト大賞」。
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