He is apologizing to her,making a deep bow.
They are both Japanese politician.
He apologized her after he shouted sexist remarks during her speech about increased public support for pregnant woman.
He apologized for shouting out "You should get married" while she was speaking.
Besides him,unidentified male assembly members shouted out "Can't you even bear a child?" or
"You are the one who should get married as soon as possible."
Yes,as you know,he became the focus of grobal criticism now.
I have to admit that it is the tip of the iceberg in Japan.
In our country,the tendency of looking down on woman has deep roots.
"Women should marry soon,and bear child." This has long been common sense in Japan.
But recently,as Japan became increasingly grobalized, we gradually noticed that our "common sense" is not always an international common sense.
We have to admit that we are still a long way from a real understanding of human rights,personal dignity,morality,grobal perspective.
And we can't conclude that the education in Japan has nothing to do with such shameful remarks of him.
Very bold of you, Kumiko, to bring in discussion this issue. Here, in Europe, we know about this aspect of your culture. And it is the same in other Asian countries. But do no mistakes: even if we proclame that woman is equal with man, there is still a certain attitude, at certain men, which do not comply with this affirmation. And those men are born and raised by women! Many men here indulge in saying sexist jokes in the presence of women, for example. This is also a case of looking down on women, isn't it? As you well said, this is only the peak of the iceberg...
ReplyDelete@Traveling Hawk,
ReplyDeleteThank you,Traveling Hawk!
Yes,such kind of sexist jokes may be the same and seen in every country.
And heckling,hecklers in the confelence chamber are usual and will happen in any country.
The thing is,if he had not been a politician,he would not have been condemned on all hands like this.
The problem is that he heckled other party's woman using sexist remarks although he is a politician.
In this case,his heckling is beyond "spicy joke",it is verbal abuse and harassment toward her,I think.
The number of female politician doesn't increase in Japan.One of the reason is such an old-fashioned environment surrounding her,I think.
I knew about this story. I found the video here http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/23/world/asia/japan-sexism-heckling/
ReplyDelete.It's not just Japan, but the whole world that has a long way to go towards equality. Thanks for posting this.
@Walter,
ReplyDeleteThank you,Walter!
Oh,did CNN report that news?
It was not until quite recently that we become conscious of feminism.
Feminism hasn't penetrated in Japan,our society has long been male-dominant,but it is changing now.