Japan PM 'sorry' over Tokyo lawmaker's sexist jeering

[webfact]

SEXIST
Japan PM 'sorry' over Tokyo lawmaker's sexist jeering
Agence France Presse


Akihiro Suzuki ®, bows to Ayaka Shiomura, a fellow assembly member, to apologise for his sexist jeer during a recent event at Tokyo City Hall on June 23.//AFP

TOKYO: -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe broke a nearly week-long silence Tuesday and apologised for sexist taunts shouted by a party member at a young Tokyo assemblywoman, reports said.

The apology, issued to the male head of the woman’s opposition party, according to Jiji Press and the Asahi newspaper, came hours after he issued a blog on the importance of improving the low rate of female workplace participation in Japan.

In the post, Abe called for women to "shine" but made no mention of the episode.

Tokyo assemblyman Akihiro Suzuki, 51, on Monday admitted he had yelled "Why don’t you get married?" at Ayaka Shiomura, 35, last week when she was speaking in the chamber during a debate on motherhood.

After days of denials, Suzuki said he was responsible and apologised to Shiomura as he resigned his membership of Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Hours after the apology his office pelted with raw eggs and his Facebook page was flooded with comments critical of his behaviour. He was also vilified on Twitter.

Shiomura was questioning senior figures in the Tokyo city administration on plans to help current and future mothers when abuse erupted from seats occupied by LDP members.

Suzuki’s shout was captured on tape, while some of those in the chamber said they had also heard laughter and taunts such as "Are you not able to have a baby?"

Shiomura, who has said she wants to identify others who joined in the jeering, is set to meet foreign press in Tokyo later Tuesday, further fuelling a debate that has dominated the domestic news agenda since Friday.

Japan has one of the lowest rates of female workforce participation in the developed world, and most economists agree it badly needs to boost the number of working women.

But a lack of childcare facilities, poor career support and deeply entrenched sexism are blamed for keeping women at home.

Abe has made great play of his desire to level the gender playing field, making numerous speeches on the subject over recent months.

In his blog piece, published Tuesday, he wrote: "The government will actively support women, regardless of whether they are currently at work or home, to play more active roles".


-- The Nation 2014-06-24

[Travel2003]

Well, that is a serious case of face loss.

Of course also take guts to bow like that infront of the cameras.

[clockman]

We will never see that here!

[ClutchClark]

It was disgusting behavior when it occurred and she braved through it.

Glad to see the public humiliation but this chauvinistic attitude is far from being removed.

[Kerryd]

Wonder if she's single..........hmmmmmmm......

[klauskunkel]

This picture seems to invite a kneejerk reaction...

[Globeman]

We will never see that here!

No, because if the Thai man bowed that deeply in front of a Thai woman he'd pi**ed off, she'd whack him on back of the head.

[Baerboxer]

Another example of the wonderful Japanese culture.

Complete plonker but at least he's been held accountable.

[SanukJoeII]

Well, that is a serious case of face loss.

Of course also take guts to bow like that infront of the cameras.

Not guts, the assh... had to quit and apologize in public, that involves bowing.

The woman could have fallen victim to a sudden muscle contraction, lifting her knee 90 degrees up....

Sexism is present all over SE Asia and more, Japan has at least the decency to admit and apologize, Thai men are too arrogant and self-happy for that, on top nobody forces them to apologize.

[Travel2003]

Education education, and more education is needed.

This will take a long time.

At least Thai men know they are less valuable in the society than the ladies.