Ayaka Otsu (大津 綾香, Ōtsu Ayaka, born 18 November 1992) is a Japanese former child actress and politician who is the disputed de jure leader of The Collaborative Party. Otsu was an agent of Five☆Eight[ja] during her active years as a child actress.

Ayaka Otsu
大津 綾香
Leader of The Collaborative Party
Assumed office
8 March 2023
(Disputed with Takashi Tachibana since 7 April 2023)
Preceded byTakashi Tachibana
Personal details
Born (1992-11-18) 18 November 1992 (age 31)
Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
Political partyCollaborative
Alma materNihon University (dropped out)
OccupationChild actress

Early life edit

Otsu was born in Yokosuka, Kanagawa.[1] She grew up in Yokosuka and Zushi until she was in High school. In her childhood years, Otsu was a child actress. For three years from 2002 to 2005, Otsu appeared as Akira Ikegami's daughter in NHK's "Weekly Children's News".[2] Otsu retired from the entertainment industry when she was in Junior high school. Since then, she moved to the United States[3] before moving back to Japan to study architecture at Nihon University College of Art, but dropped out.[4] After leaving College, Otsu worked at an Architectural firm as an Architectural designer.[5]

Political career edit

In January 2023, Otsu saw a candidate application advertisement on YouTube for The Collaborative Party (then-named NHK party), which was founded by Takashi Tachibana. Otsu decided to apply.[3] On January 13, 2023, NHK party held a press conference announcing their 36 candidates for the 2023 Japanese local elections. In the press conference, it was announced that Otsu will be the party's candidate for the Meguro City Assembly.[6]

On March 8, 2023, NHK party leader Takashi Tachibana announced his resignation after party member GaaSyy (Yoshikazu Higashitani), a member of the House of Councillors was expelled for not attending any sessions of Parliament. Tachibana changed the name of the NHK Party to "Seijika Joshi 48 Party" and announced that Otsu would be appointed as the successor leader of the party.[7]

On March 12, Otsu dropped out of the Meguro City Assembly election, and filed her candidacy for the Kanagawa gubernatorial election, which would take place on April 9. Seijika Joshi's candidate for the election was Kina Ichikawa, but decided to drop out in favour of Otsu.[8][9]

Otsu was defeated in the Kanagawa gubernatorial election on April 9, placing 3rd out of 4 candidates.[10] On the following day, April 10, Otsu announced her intention to run for the Meguro Ward election for the second time, which was scheduled for April 26,[11] but was defeated, placing 48th out of 57 candidates.[12][13]

Leadership dispute edit

On April 7, 2023, former party leader Tachibana announced that Otsu had been dismissed from the party leader position on March 29,[14] and that she had been expelled from the party on April 6.[14] Otsu posted on her Twitter, account "I haven't resigned as the leader of Seijika Joshi, I don't approve the announcement",[15] fueling the leadership dispute between the two that lasts to this day.

As of December 2023, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has not recognized the change of the party leadership.[16] Despite this, most of the party defected and switched allegiance to Tachibana, resulting in a deadlock where Otsu is the de jure leader while Tachibana is the de facto leader.[17]

In November 2023, Otsu changed the name of the party to The Collaborative Party.[18]

Filmography edit

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2000 Home Sweet Home N/A N/A
2001 Waterboys Girl in the Aquarium 2001 Comedy Film.
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2000 Virtual Girl N/A 2000 TV series, Episode 1, NTV.
Food Fight Yuki Kurahashi 2000 TV series, NTV.
Scary Sunday ~2000~ Kaori 2000 TV series, Episode 3, NTV.
Mirai Sentai Timeranger N/A 2000 TV series, TV Asahi
Worst date ever N/A 2000 TV series, Episode 14, NTV.
2001 Little girl Anna Makoto Otsuki as a child 2001 TV series, Fuji TV.
2004 Scary stories that actually happened N/A 2005 TV series, Fuji TV.
2002–2005 Weekly Children's News Akira Ikegami's daughter 1994–2010 Children's Television newscast, NHK
2003 Strange stories of the world: Autumn special edition N/A 2004 TV series, Fuji TV.
2003 Hi-vision Special: Records of the Edo era N/A 2003 TV series, NHK BS Premium subscribers exclusive.

References edit

  1. ^ "「活動の宣伝のため」出馬表明 政治家女子48党首、神奈川知事選に:朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). Asahi. 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  2. ^ N/A, N/A (8 March 2023). "「政治家女子48党」大津綾香氏に〝父親役〟池上彰氏が忠告「話題づくりに利用されるな」". Tokyo Sports.
  3. ^ a b "'23統一地方選:知事選候補者の横顔 /神奈川". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Mainichi. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  4. ^ "神奈川県知事選告示 4人が舌戦開始 自分の未来どうつくる:東京新聞 TOKYO Web". 東京新聞 TOKYO Web (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  5. ^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (2023-03-26). "【神奈川県知事選候補者の横顔】大津綾香氏(政新)女性の政治活動を促す". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  6. ^ "池上彰氏の〝娘〟が目黒区議選に出馬 政治家女子48党公認 元HKT山本茉央、セクシー女優も|よろず〜ニュース". よろず〜ニュース (in Japanese). 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  7. ^ "NHK党、「政治家女子48党」に党名変更を発表…立花党首が辞任し大津綾香氏が後任に". 読売新聞オンライン (in Japanese). 2023-03-08. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  8. ^ "政治家女子、神奈川県知事選に看護師の市川樹菜氏擁立へ 神奈川県知事選". カナロコ by 神奈川新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  9. ^ "神奈川県知事選に〝池上彰の娘〟政治家女子48党・大津綾香党首が一転出馬へ". 東スポWEB (in Japanese). 2023-03-12. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  10. ^ "'23統一地方選:知事選 黒岩氏、4選を実現 3政令市議、続々決まる(その1) /神奈川". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Mainichi. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  11. ^ "【統一地方選】政女・大津綾香氏、神奈川県知事選一夜明け 今度は16日告知の目黒区議選出馬へ – 社会 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  12. ^ "政治家女子48党の大津氏が落選 東京・目黒区議選、子役出演の経験:朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). Asahi. 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  13. ^ "【都県別トップ】統一地方選2023 首都圏:東京新聞 TOKYO Web". 東京新聞 TOKYO Web (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  14. ^ a b "旧N党、突然代表解任で抗争 LINE暴露の大津綾香党首を交代と 大津氏は抵抗姿勢 立花氏「証拠動画」提示/デイリースポーツ online". デイリースポーツ online (in Japanese). 2023-06-19. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  15. ^ @ayaka_otsu (April 7, 2023). "記者会見でも言った通り、承認していないので私は政治家女子党首を辞めていません。お金の流れを把握する必要があると主張したこと自体がここまで抵抗を受けることにびっくりです。" [I haven't resigned as the leader of Seijika Joshi, I don't approve the announcement] (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-06-19 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ "【1ページ目】斉藤健一郎氏への代表変更届を法務局が拒否「大津綾香氏のサインがない」【政女党お家騒動】". 東スポWEB (in Japanese). 2023-06-09. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  17. ^ "党役員". NHKをぶっ壊す! (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  18. ^ 慎平, 奥原 (2023-11-06). "政女党から「みんなでつくる党」 党名変更9回目 大津氏「もう変えない」〝炎上政党〟脱却アピール". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-12-16.