Seijuro Akashi

Seijuro Akashi (赤司 征十郎) is a Teikonian politician serving as the 29th Chancellor of the Realm of the Federal Kingdom of Teiko and President of the Teiko National Party (TNP) since 2010. He is also the youngest to date to hold the office and first openly homosexual head of government in the modern times. In 2015, he was re-elected for a second term becoming the first person to do so since 1986. Akashi is the second-longest serving Chancellor of the Realm in post-war Teiko after his grandfather, Kouzo Akashi.

Akashi is a graduate of the University of Kaijou where he graduated with the highest honors. During the 2001 Law Bar Exam, Akashi garnered a raw score of 99.82%, the highest rating ever achieved such exam. As member of a politically prominent family, Akashi first entered the Teiko Royal Council in the 2003 election. He rose to be appointed as Minister of Interior and Home Affairs by Izaya Orihara in 2007. In 2009, Akashi became a popular candidate for the National Party nomination after Izaya announced that he is not seeking a second term. He was subsequently elected in 2009 with a popular vote of over 11 million votes or 69.45%, the highest for any national elections in the country's history.

During his first term as chancellor, Akashi pushed for a globally competitive Teiko. In his term, foreign policy was relaxed and the country joined the Alliance of Independent Nations. He also began to increase government spending in infrastructure and education as the country was coming out of the 2008 financial crisis. Landmarks legislation during his first terms includes Teiko Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2011, Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, Same Sex Marriage Act of 2014 which legalized same-sex marriage in the country and Foreign Policy Conscription Act that required foreign born neutralized Teiko citizens to serve in the military for at most two years. In early January 2015, Akashi signed the Anti-Political Dynasty Act earning praises from the general public and the government of Atlantic Federation and Septemtrionale.

During the first half of his second term, Akashi has sought to gain support for the Revised Peerage Act in response to the growing anomalies within the Kazoku system. He had also fostered stronger bilateral relationship with other members of the Alliance of Independent Nations to boost the national economy including the accession of the country to the Liberal Monarchist Bloc in 2016, signing of free-trade agreements, and co-founding of the Teiko-Oka-Nakama trilateral summit in 2017, the foremost forum of regional cooperation in Far East Asia. He also centered on heavy promotion of the country through the hosting of AIN Expo 2017 and expansion of the the Teiko Trade and Investment Board which resulted in record number of foreign tourists. In domestic policies, Akashi focused on enhancing the country's labor force and youth development policies to curtail the increasing suicide rates among Teikonian youth and workers. He had also received criticisms for pushing with the controversial Sibyl Project.

Outside of politics, Akashi enjoys indulging himself with charity work through the Akashi Foundation and playing Shogi. He is married to former Minister for Transportation Kouki Furihata. The couple adopted Hayato Akashi in 2016, Hayato is currently the youngest professional shogi player in the country. Akashi has been recognized as one of the most powerful people in AIN by financial and political magazine Onodera appearing in the list since 2014. He was also named as the Teiko Shinbun's Person of the Year in 2015 for going beyond his call of duty in service of the Teikonian people, for standing firm against bias judgments and uplifting the individual rights of the citizens and for providing a great example of passionate and just leadership where the political scene is normally short of.

Early life and education
Seijuro Akashi was born on 20 December 1981 in Rakuzan, Teiko. He is the only child of Tadatoshi Akashi, then mayor of Rakuzan City and Amaya Kitagawa, daughter of a prominent local businessman. Akashi's parents met in 1979 in an arranged marriage that will further strengthen the relationship between the two most eminent families in Rakuzan, the Akashi clan and the Kitagawa clan. After several months of dating, the two finally married on 4 April 1981 in Haranishi. The couple despite having domestic issues and the swirling controversies surrounding them remained as one until 1985.



In 1985, after a series of acute heart attacks due to ailing health, Akashi's father died and his mother suffered severe injuries in the skull while in a vehicular accident at the Yagamo Road (now Daisuke Niwa Avenue) near Tonaibata. Not long afterwards, his mother also passed away two months after the accident making Akashi an orphant. The circumstances surrounding the marriage of Akashi's parents and their high profile image dragged the decision of the Rakuzan City Court on child custody for nearly 10 months. During this period, Akashi was staying with their ancestral house with the government sending in people are guardians. In August 1986, the court granted Masahito Akashi, Akashi's uncle custody. The Kitagawa clan appealed the decision in the Rakuzan High Court but the petition was denied.

Akashi under the supervision of his uncle attended Ouran Academy, one of the nation's premier and elite school for his elementary, high school, and college education. He graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor's degree in law and continued to pursue a doctorate degree under the University of Kaijou. In 2005, Akashi garnered his doctorate degree in law, becoming one of the first Teikonians to able to achieve such. He was one of the students of University of Kaijou professor of economics, Izaya Orihara. In 2001, Akashi set the record for the highest rating in the national law bar exam with a rating of 99.82%. Izaya would later influence Akashi to join politics despite being groomed to take over Akashi Corporation where his uncle sits as chairman of the board.

During his college years, Akashi was an active youth leader and volunteer. He was also voted as president of the University of Kaijou Student Council and Rakuzan Youth Council, the head organization of all student body organizations and youth councils in Teiko. Akashi was also the student body president of Ouran Academy since his second year and was a recipient of the Ten Outstanding Youth Award, the highest endowment that can be given to any civilian in the criteria by the national government. Seeing his potential as a politician, Akashi despite being groomed to be a successor of the Akashi clan's corporations decided to run for a single district constituency in Rakuzan Prefecture during the 2003 general elections where he won with a wide margin.

Congressional Career
Akashi's entry to politics was plagued with controversies mostly coming from the opposition stating that he is only running for publicity and to further expand the interests of the Akashi Clan in the Teiko politics. However despite the criticism, Akashi ran for a seat in the Teiko Royal Council as a Rakuzan Prefecture Representative under the banner of the Teiko National Party in the 2003 general elections. Akashi won in a landslide victory quickly defeating his opponent then Rakuzan Prefecture Representative, Nobukazo Kotabe even in the early reading of the ballots.

Akashi was re-elected to the Teiko Royal Council for the 16th Session (2007-2010), representing the 4th district of Rakuzan Prefecture becoming one of the youngest to hold such position at age of 24 years and 1 month. Akashi was also voted as chairman of the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations also known as Blue Ribbon Committee.

As a member of the Teiko Royal Council, Akashi proposed numerous council bills and resolutions:

Akashi was offered to become the Sangdaedeung during a snap Teiko Royal Council elections on 8 November 2009 but declined and ran for the chancellorship instead on the same year.
 * Council Bill #2452, granting annual productivity incentives to all workers in the private sector.
 * Council Bill #2856, strengthening the regulatory power of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Board in regulating multi-national corporations
 * Council Bill #2630, increasing the penalties for non-compliance of the prescribed increases and adjustments in the wage rates of workers.
 * Council Bill #3158, providing for the codification of criminal laws.
 * Council Bill #3348, inquiry in aid of legislation into the policies and processes of the Energy Regulatory Commission in granting rate increases to electric utilities.
 * Council Bill #4096 which is referred to as the Teiko National Framework Agreement, still being processed as of May 2014.

Minister for Interior and Home Affairs
After Toriyama Yoshifuda's resignation in early 2007, loss of confidence with then Chancellor of the Realm Izaya Orihara plunged deeply to its lowest since his appointment. The need to find a replacement was very imminent and one of the first people recommended by Former Sangdaedeung Leon Fuwata was Akashi Seijuro. Such remark was met with mixed reactions but nevertheless, Akashi was appointed by Izaya on August 2007 to complete the last remaining three years in office.

Seijuro Akashi's appointment to become Minister Interior and Home Affairs was met with criticism majority of which comes from the Democratic Party of Teiko. Most of the critics mentioned that the MIDG which is considered to be the most important ministry in the great council should not go to someone who has not even served the Teiko Royal Council for more than one term. Although such appointment is constitutionally valid, naysayers call it a taboo. There was also a minority opposition coming from the Teiko National Party itself considering that Akashi will be replacing someone who resigned over corruption allegations.

During his tenure as MIDG Minister, Akashi quickly resolved the issue with the alleged overpriced procurement of tanks of the the Teiko National Army. A series of investigation conducted by the Teiko Bureau of Investigation and the Ministry of Justice resolved that the there was no price manipulation during the transaction between and former MIDG Minister, Toriyama Yoshifuda was acquitted of the corruption and plunder charges. However, critics remain skeptic of the decision until today.

One of the main programs Akashi led is the maximization of the Teiko National Police.

First term as Chancellor of the Realm(2010-2016)
Main articles: Chancellorship of Seijuro Akashi; and List of Official State Visits and Trips Made by Seijuro Akashi

First Days
The inauguration of Seijuro Akashi as the 29th Chancellor of the Realm took place on January 30, 2010. In his first few days in office, Akashi issued executive orders to fully militarize the boundary between Kuril Islands and Mainland Russia due to the increasing number of hostilities. Such declaration was met with opposition both from the Russian Government and China. As of today, the narrow Kuril Straight remains as one of the heavily patrolled water boundary in Asia.

Domestic Policy
Akashi signed several controversial acts in his first tenure. Among these includes the SSM Act which legalizes same-sex marriage in Teiko and the Ant-Political Dynasty acts which many critics call as hypocritical given his current status as member of the Akashi Clan. Among others, he also disallowed naturalization of foreigners. Instead giving them an honorary Teikonian citizen status which may be removed depending on their status as citizens in the country and their fulfillment of their duty and responsibilities which includes mandatory military conscription for at most two years.

Akashi also had invested heavily on space exploration through the Teiko National Space Commission under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Among these include Teppei, the first Teikonian rover to be sent to Mars by 2016.

Economic Policy
In 2014, Akashi ordered a cut of the Teiko National Bank's interest rates by .25% to alleviate the growing impact of the economic recession in Japan. He also signed reinvestment acts and tax relief to increase Teiko's purchasing power. In 2014, Teiko heavily invested its internal reserves through the International Monetary Fund as credit to the worsening economic recession in the European Union. As of 2015, Teiko's GDP has been projected to reach 3-4 per centum, the highest in more than two decades while unemployment remains unchanged at 8%.

Foreign Policy
During Akashi's tenure, the Federal Kingdom of Teiko was adopted into the Alliance of Independent Nations (AIN). He then recommended Kyouya Sata who became AIN's first minister for the Alliance Public Service Agency in February 2015. Teiko enjoyed continuous smooth foreign relationships with New Duveland and Neu Westfalen as well as Japan and South Korea. Akashi announced that although he might lift the visa policy towards Neu Westfalen and New Duveland, he cannot assure both as of the moment. As of April 2015, the Ministry of Internal and External Communications announced lighter requirements for the visa policy, as Teiko continues to build stronger ties with Oceania. Akashi also opened foreign relations with the communist Septemtrionale after years of political dormancy.

Second term as Chancellor of the Realm (2016-present)
Akashi was re-elected as chancellor in 26 November 2015 against Beika 6th District Representative Shun Izuki. Akashi made relatively small changes in his great council. The list of the members of the Second Akashi Great Council was announced 14 December 2015. In his speech during the State Opening of the Council, Akashi called upon the Teiko Royal Council to enact new policies strengthening foreign relations, infrastructure development and women empowerment.

Economic policy
Akashi expressed interest in legalizing gambling and lowering corporate tax.

Cultural and Political Image
Akashi is one of the most flamboyant politicians in Teiko. Although straightforward and strict, Akashi presents himself to his fellow Teikonians as a cheerful and approachable leader. Many critics also notes that Akashi has a dual personality and when asked about the issue, Akashi told an August 2011 meeting of the National Psychological Summit that "..then again when we can never have an objective definition of what it is and I would rather divert my attention than discuss an unfathomable issue." His continuous evasion of the issue finally led to an impeachment case against him for the grounds of being mentally unstable in 2012. However, the case was dropped three months after it was submitted for the lack of evidence. Until today, Akashi doesn't comment much regarding his alleged Dissociative identity disorder.



Akashi is frequently referred to as a natural genius and strategist by the media and his peers. Such titles are concretely supported by his high rating during the 2001 Law Bar Exam and his college transcript of records. The latter states that Akashi has never got a grade of below A- in both his undergraduate and post-graduate years. He has also a good record of national competitions won in Shogi and Chess. Mensa International estimates Akashi's IQ at 190 at par of those of Gary Kasparov and higher than Albert Einstein.

Akashi is also a good orator as noted by the Teiko Shinbun. He is exceptionally well known for giving out superb impromptu and extemporaneous speeches. Most of his peers noted that majority of his prepared speeches are memorized and Akashi would dare give out the speech without a copy. Tomori Yukari, his former speech writer once noted that in one of the events that Akashi was supposed to give a speech, she forgot to prepare it earlier and wrote it in impromptu. Later that night during the event, she was shocked to see Akashi relaying the speech all from memory which is all in all, 9 pages.



Although normally strict in handling fiscal and domestic policies, Akashi's level of tolerance vary form one issue to another and also considering the situation. Akashi is the only chancellor to have publicly supported the legalization of illegal drugs, same-sex marriage, abortion and death penalty. Although in one his speeches he also mentioned that "...People who cannot bring in contribution to their country and continually becomes a part of the societal problem should be removed...". Critics note that sometimes Akashi is very sarcastic and although he is in favor of many liberal ideologies, Akashi remains to be a firm believer of socialism and authoritarianism in practice. In lined with many of his speeches, critics then also notes that Akashi has this theory of societal niche in which he believes that everyone has their role to play and those who don't must be eradicated.

Akashi has also favored to remove taxation from Teiko. He notes that taxation will only bring burden to the people rather than help them develop economically. Although taxation in Teiko remains, the percentage of tax has decreased significantly in his term. He also believes that income inequality is must solved problem of the modern times and should not just be neglected. His proposal to raise wages for blue-collar jobs was met with mixed criticism both from the public and private sector.

On issues regarding education and health, Akashi is a firm believer on equal opportunities. He believes that all Teikonians should have equal access to adequate health care and education despite of economic and cultural status. For international relations, Akashi believes that the stabilization of the state is the most important agenda before deciding to participate in the international arena, "One must know his limits and should work on from there before he can achieve greater heights..." Akashi also favors expressionism, abstract art, and avant-garde experimentation in art and literature much to the public's surprise.

In 2014, Akashi announced his support for government surveillance which was met with several negative criticism from netizens and the public. This comes after documents released by Teiko Bunshun showed the magnitude of Teiko Special Advisory Board surveillance on its people. Akashi stated that the first and foremost duty of the state is to maintain its survival and the respect to privacy of its constituents comes second to that. He also assured the public that there is no harm done during the surveillance and only vital information is being collected.

Personal Life
In a 2013 interview, Akashi highlighted the diversity of his extended family: "Although I do not have a family of my own yet, the Akashi Clan is very much like a little AIN if not more like UN and the daily dealings includes the World War 2 and Hundred Years War to be more precise.", he said. "It's so funny to think that when people actually talk about the Akashi Clan, all they get is fear and hatred when in fact majority of my family members are weirder and funnier than you thought they would be." Akashi has six uncles in his father side and two aunt which among them includes several key people like Ryuichi Akashi and Kouzo Akashi who both served ass 17th and 19th Chancellor of the Realm respectively, Masahito Akashi, a prominent Teiko businessman, Kobayashi Akashi, former Sangdaedeung of the Teiko Royal Council and Ryoko Akashi, former great council member. In history books, it is very much noted that the Akashi Clan played a vital role in the formation of modern Teiko after the World War 2.



In his youth, Seijuro Akashi was known as "Sei" among his family and friends, but asked to be addressed with his surname during his college years as it was the status quo. Besides his native Japanese, Akashi is a polyglot who can speak fluently in Korean, English, Chinese and some basic Thai, Greek, Latin and German. Majority of the foreign language was learned through college and was polished via self-teaching. Akashi also enjoys and literature and writes novels and essays in his free times. As of 2014, Akashi have published two books after his college graduation, Life Beyond Limits and The Call.

Akashi loves to plays basketball, a sport he participated in as a member of his high school's varsity team in Rakuzan National High School wherein he won three major consecutive tournaments as captain; he is ambidextrous. He is also a supporter of the Rakuzan Minotaurs, and is a major fan of the Teiko National Basketball League. In 2009, he threw out the ceremonial first basket at the all star game while wearing a Rakuzan Minotaur jersey. He is also primarily a football and baseball fan and have seen to attend several final games of the Teiko Football League and Teiko Baseball Cup. Also as a college athlete, he also advocates sports to all youth and healthy living for all. In 2011, Akashi invited the 1980 Rakuzan Minotaurs to the People's Residence for a courtesy call.

In July 2008, Akashi met Furihata Kouki during a government summit dinner wherein the latter works as department head of Aviation Safety and Regulatory Department under the Ministry of Transportation. Working together with the Teiko Royal Council Committee on Transportation, Furihata was assigned under Akashi on August later that year. Furihata declined initial request to date but the two began dating three months afterwards. Although both was hesitant at first, their relationship began to be in public by early 2009. The couple received many critics coming both from the religious sector and the press. After the passage of the Same Sex Marriage Act in March 2014, Akashi married Furihata on a private ceremony at the Kokyo on December 25, 2014. Currently plans for surrogacy has been dropped of the table and the couple will opt to adopt for a male child but there has been no update on this since the press conference after the wedding reception.

In December 2013, Arashi and Kanjani estimated the Akashi clan's net worth at $21.9 billion and Onodera Media publishes in its annual report of Onodera 40 that the Akashi clan headed by Masahito Akashi is the second richest family in Teiko. Their wealth mostly came from corporate holdings, stocks, bonds and other non-liquid investments. Akashi's personal wealth is estimated at $56 million which includes his real estate properties in Shinza. Akashi is also a major philanthropist having given away a total amount of $24 Million since 2011 to different social outreach organizations such Blue Waves, The Habitat and Wammy House Foundation.

Religious views
Akashi is an agnostic theist by religion although he also believes in shintoism which has sprung from his close relations with the Kuroko clan. in 2012, he wrote in an article for Teiko Shinbun that he "was neither raised in a religious household nor does he want to be either". Akashi described his uncle as being detached from religion, yet "in many ways the most spiritually awakened person that I have ever known." He also described his aunt as a "confirmed atheist" basing in her actions and lifestyle. Akashi explained that despite his friends and other relatives convince him of a certain religion, he came to understand that religion by per se is not the most important thing in life but rather the attachment to a deity and each one is accustomed to believe in his own and figure out for oneself who god is.

Despite his unbelief in religion, Akashi met with a lot religious leaders to discus spirituality. Naoto Kun, a Japanese pastor once mentioned in his weekly articles that Akashi is not an close minded individual and his heart is open for any religion that may be given to him. Akashi confirmed the claims in October 2010 and simply shrugged the statements off. In 2012, however, he mentioned that he will no longer be meeting with with Kun after the latter gave another set of controversial statements against Akashi prior to the 2012 general elections.

Awards

 * 2013 Foreign Policy Top 100 Global Thinkers, 2013. (🇺🇸 USA)
 * Herman Kahn Award, September 2013. (🇺🇸 USA)
 * Asian of the Year award, December 2013. (🇸🇬 Singapore)
 * Time 100 in 2014, April 2014. (🇺🇸 USA)
 * Teiko Shinbun Person of the Year, 2015. ( Teiko)

Family
Akashi Seijuro's father Akashi Tadatoshi served as Rakuzan City Mayor from 1958 until his death in 1985. He is the son of Akashi Saginuma who served as member of the Teiko Royal Council from 1937 to 1956. Akashi's mother Akashi Amaya is the daughter of Kitagawa Fujikawa, the head of the Kitagawa clan and a leading capitalist in the country and the founder of Kitagawa Metals. His uncle, Akashi Masahito is the founder of Kronos Heaven Technologies and International Container Terminal and the current head of the Akashi clan. Akashi does not have any siblings.

Akashi married Furihata Kouki in 2015. Furihata is a famous teenage actor who had acted in a few movies and television series. Following his departure from media, he had served as former deputy head of the Aviation Safety and Regulatory Department of the Ministry of Transportation. He is known as the silent shadow due to his strong support for his husband's policies and views but is known to give relatively few comments in public media. Following his marriage, Furihata opted to leave politics and focused instead on planning for their parenthood. As of 2016, the couple had no children but Furihata mentioned that they are planning to adopt one soon.