Wakako Hironaka

Following the breakup of Komeito in 1994, Hironaka was part of the group that formed the New Frontier Party, which itself dissolved in 1997.

Hironaka won a second term as a Councillor for Chiba at the 2004 election, this time as an official DPJ candidate.

At the July 2010 election, Chiba's representation was expanded to three seats, however the 76 year-old Hironaka was replaced as a DPJ candidate by the younger Hiroyuki Konishi and Ayumi Michi, who finished first and fourth in the ballot respectively.

She has been active internationally, as Vice Chair of Global Environmental Action (GEA), an organizing member of Micro Credit Summit, a member of World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development, Earth Charter Commission, and Teri (The Energy and Resources Institute) Hironaka received a B.A.

She has written several books, essays, translations, and critiques on education, culture, society, and women's issues.