Midori Matsushima

also known by her legal name is a Japanese politician. She served as Japan's Minister of Justice in 2014, later resigning in the same year after an allegation of violating electoral laws by distributing paper fans to voters.

Overview Matsushima, hailing from Hyogo Prefecture and an alumnus of the University of Tokyo, initially worked for the Japanese national newspaper Asahi Shimbun from 1980 to 1995. Following an unsuccessful election attempt in 1996, she was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2000, and subsequently re-elected in 2003 and 2005. She served as a member of the House of Representatives for the Liberal Democratic Party, representing Tokyo's 14th district in the Diet (national legislature) seven times.

Resignation Midori Matsushima resigned from her position as Japan's Minister of Justice in October 2014 due to allegations of violating election laws. Specifically, she was said to have distributed paper fans (uchiwa) with her name and image at a local festival, which was alleged to constitute a form of bribery under Japanese election law. This controversy led to significant political pressure, ultimately resulting in her resignation. Matsushima was cleared in January 2015 when the charges were dropped.