Upon graduation from the Department of Comparative Culture, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Sophia University, Seiko Noda joined the Imperial Hotel, where she became the first female salesperson in the International Sales department. In 1984, she was officially adopted by her grandfather, Uichi Noda, a Japanese politician who served as Secretary of the Economic Planning Agency, Minister of Construction, and so forth, and carried on the Noda family name. Ms. Noda moved to Gifu Prefecture and was elected to the Gifu Prefectural Assembly in 1987. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1993 and has now won nine consecutive elections. Ms. Noda has served in numerous roles, including Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minister of State for Special Missions, Chairperson of the General Council of the LDP, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, and Minister in charge of Women’s Empowerment. She currently serves as Chairman of the Committee on Budget in the House of Representatives. Ms. Noda has spoken at several previous Conferences. In January 2011, she gave birth for the first time at the age of 50 to a baby boy, after receiving a donor egg from the United States.