Seiko Hashimoto

Seiko Hashimoto (Japanese: 橋本 聖子, Hepburn: Hashimoto Seiko, born 5 October 1964) is a Japanese politician, former speed skater and track cyclist. She has the most Olympic appearances of any Japanese athlete except Noriaki Kasai, representing her native country in four consecutive Winter Olympics from 1984 to 1994 and in three consecutive Summer Olympics from 1988 to 1996, making her a seven time Olympian. On top of her Olympic career, she is the mother of six children while working in politics and other leadership positions. She is currently a member of the House of Councillors from the Liberal Democratic Party, and serves as the President of the Japan Skating Federation.

She served on the Japanese Cabinet as Minister of State for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games from September 2019 until February 2021, when she became the President of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee. She is only the second female in Olympic history to become president of a game's organizing committee after Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, President of the Athens 2004 organizing committee.