Japanese prime minister’s comments on gender roles spark controversy
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks regarding the additional work she undertakes as a woman compared to her male predecessors have ignited a debate around gender roles in Japan, putting her performance under scrutiny, reports BritPanorama.
On Wednesday, Takaichi indicated that she works longer hours than her male counterparts due to obligations traditionally associated with women, such as household chores and applying makeup.
“In the morning, I take a bath, fix breakfast and do the dishes, then apply makeup,” Takaichi stated during a parliamentary session. “Doing these things, I feel I’m spending three or four more hours than male prime ministers.”
She further explained that it took her aides some time to adjust to her need for extra time to prepare for public appearances.
Her comments about makeup and household responsibilities were met with backlash as they were perceived to reinforce outdated gender roles and highlight ongoing issues related to excessive working hours in Japan.
The societal norms dictate that working women often bear a heavier burden, managing both their jobs and household duties. According to recent government statistics, women spend nearly five hours on housework daily, while their male counterparts average around 40 minutes.
Social media reactions pointed out that many working women juggling childcare or eldercare face significantly greater demands than Takaichi. Critics argued that her situation was a question of time management and revealed an outdated perspective on gender equality.
“As long as she gets her job done, it’s fine if she needs more time than men… but seeking forgiveness because she needs time to put on makeup as an excuse is unacceptable,” legal expert Fusako Miwa commented on social media.
Takaichi’s comments regarding her nightly rest, citing zero to three hours of sleep due to her household responsibilities alongside her demanding role since taking office last year, drew criticism for setting a poor example regarding work-life balance.
Despite her activity on social media platform X, Takaichi has recently reduced her parliamentary appearances, spending more evenings and weekends at her residence, drawing criticism for neglecting policy discussions.
Additionally, Takaichi faced a setback when Kazuo Yana, her newly appointed farm minister, resigned Wednesday amid several scandals, including claims of mismanaging public funds for his political benefit.
The issue of time management was raised by Fumitake Fujita, an official from Takaichi’s junior coalition partner, Japan Innovation Party, who suggested reducing lengthy parliamentary sessions that ministers are required to attend almost daily.
In 2022, Japan’s prime minister attended 72 parliamentary sessions, in contrast to 50 in Britain and just 13 in Germany, according to NXJI Research.
The report suggested employing cooks and housekeeping staff at the prime minister’s residence to help streamline the leader’s schedule and ensure adequate rest.
Takaichi admitted that managing her busy agenda has proven challenging, stating that she often takes home a substantial stack of documents.
“I do enjoy reading them late at night,” Takaichi remarked. “Honestly, I feel it is not easy to squeeze out time to sit down and think about the future direction of Japan or have a grand vision.”
