Speakers

Dr Toshiko Abe is the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time at the 44th General Election from Okayama Prefecture, Chugoku.

Dr Abe was appointed the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs in December 2012 and her portfolios in the Ministry include International Development Cooperation and Global Issues. Dr Abe completed her doctorate in Nursing at the University of Illinois in Chicago and since then has contributed to improving Japan’s medical and nursing services and welfare.

Dr Abe lectured at Gunma University and Tokyo Medical and Dental University from 1997 until 2003, when she was elected as the Vice President of the Japanese Nursing Association.