Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
broke a nearly week-long silence today 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, yesterday 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 today, 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 today, he wrote: "The
government will actively support women, regardless of whether they are
currently at work or home, to play more active roles".
Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar attracted opposition BJP's ire today in Rajya Sabha when he said he was not interested in listening to speech of a BJP member on vote on account, prompting the Chair to adjourn the House amid uproar. During the Zero Hour, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien allowed Aiyar, who wanted to ask a question, to do so, which was opposed by BJP members. Kurien asked Aiyar whether he yielded to allow others to speak, to which he said he had no objection and he can ask his question later. As the House got ready to initiate discussion on Vote on Account, Kurien said, "Let us reduce the discussion to two hours from four hours," which was opposed by BJP members including Piyush Goyal who was given a chance to speak on Vote on Account. When it was agreed that discussion will take place as per schedule, Aiyar remarked he was not interested in listening to the speech by BJP member. "You had given me the chance to ask a question
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