Japanese Government
Hiroya Ichikawa, Professor of Economics at Sophia University, Appointed by Secretary General Koffe Anan to UN Committee for Policy Development is the moderator for tonight's discussion. Having just returned to Japan from France, he began the night by allowing each representative to speak briefly about any matter(s) they wished. He said he was using their talk to "catch up" on what's been happening in his absence.
Representative Kuniko Inoguchi, Gender Equity and Social Reform, Former Fulbrighter, graduate of Yale and then Harvard
Representative Kuniko Inoguchi was delightful, speaking frankly about matters about which she feels passionately. A few of her points are listed below, but one must hear her speak. Listen to this podcast of her discussion and her frank and open response to our questions.
- Prioritized revitalization of education and social reform
- Surplus must be given to social development
- Resource poor country needed to direct resources to growth...now with our economic growth we will fund social issues
- Gender equality is area in which we are behind so now it is an emphasis
- Today largest number of female parliamentarians have been elected in constitutional history of Japan because of outgoing prime minister's leadership emphasis
- Decline in birth rate problem is of great concern
- Last year total population of Japan declined for the first time
- If this trend continues we can not sustain social security
- Work and life balance will be impacted
- Free birth, family stipends, near free child care, as of next April infant stipends, increase number of child care centers, shorter working hours to increase time for family to enjoy children,
- 70% of women resign work to keep first child. We want a better work and life balance so they can continue to work
- Have to campaign to change the mindset of the country that it is OK to ask for childcare leave
- Rate of marriage has been increasing for the last 6 months. Number had been declining for the last 20 years.
- But we have a long way to go in gender equality: only 10% of women in higher education as professors
- New government is also prioritizing these areas with enormous emphasis on education as performance is declining in mathematics and reading
- Next year most universities will have childcare facilities
- I campaigned for this agenda by going to the governors of each prefecture; appeared many times on TV
A very wise and seasoned representative, Representative Yuji Tsushima, Diet Member, House of Representatives, spoke with thought and the confidence born of 30 years in elected office. He seemed well versed in complex issues and was willing to state them as complex without simple solutions. He stated that the agenda to be tackled by the Prime Minister needed to be:
- From our recent economic successes we are having new issues and new problems
- There are always those who are not favored by the economic growth and the question of fairness and access is an issue
- This will be tackled. We started talking about this issue this week.
- Inequity between regions. Some areas simply can not feel the economic growth
- We have 47 governors in Japan and 40 are complaining about the present state of economic affairs: unemployment is an issue
- The relationship with the Asian countries: China and Korea, and is rather complicated
- Former prime minister acted based on his beliefs from the War. But we now much normalize relationships between China and Japan
- China is becoming the greatest consumer of resources
- Russia is becoming the largest supplier of energy
- Economic paradigm is about to change throughout the world and this is very important for China, Russia, Japan, and Korea
- We must have good friendly relationship with China
- China and India's relationship is also very important
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