Yukari Sato

A native of Setagaya, Tokyo, Satō received a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University, a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in economics from New York University. She also studied abroad in the University of Paris (Nanterre) and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. She began her economic career in 1998 as an economist at Nikko Citigroup Securities, and then worked for JPMorgan Securities and finally as chief economist at Credit Suisse First Boston in Japan. While being economist in the financial industry, Sato also served as a member of the Industrial Structure Council of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), a member of the Working Group on Taxation Problems of the Ministry of Finance (MOF), an advisor to LDP’s committee on fiscal reconstruction, as well as providing policy recommendations to members of the Bank of Japan’s Policy Board, and other ministries, including the Cabinet Office, of the Japanese government. == Political career ==

Satō was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005, as part of a group of candidates of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) hand-picked by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Sato was sent to the constituency of Seiko Noda, the Gifu 1st district, with Noda having left the LDP after opposing Koizumi's plan to privatize Japan Post. Noda prevailed in the district, but Sato won a seat through the proportional representation list. Sato and Noda publicly made amends prior to the 2009 general election, in which Sato was assigned to run for a different seat, the Tokyo 5th district. including: • Vice Chairman, LDP Committee on Science, Technology and Innovations • Vice Chairman, LDP Committee on Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Policies • Vice Chairman, LDP Committee on Tourism Nation Building • Deputy Chairman, LDP Committee on Foreign Affairs and Economic Pact Agreements (EPAs) • Chairman, Special Committee on Consumer Problems of the House of Councillors • Chairman, LDP Members’ Association to Consider Japan’s Prosperity in Global Society • Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry • Deputy Secretary-General of LDP • Deputy Chairman, LDP Policy Board in the House of Councillors • Minister of State for Economic, Fiscal and Finance Policy of LDP's Shadow Cabinet • Vice-Chairman, Committee on Organizations Involved with Public Finance, Finance and Securities of LDP == References ==