Record number of women in Tokyo assembly raises hope for political change

Fantastic wins for Japanese women! I've said it for decades.... the women of the country are its true backbone. The men, while intelligent, hard working and capable, are sucked into the image of a strong male dominated society where they're supposed to work constantly and leave everything else to women.

Good for you ladies!

SaikoPsycho - after teaching in high schools and colleges for many years I might be enclosed to disagree with your comment about the intelligence of Japanese men. It is always the women who score higher averages in tests and usually average at least 20% more. I've put this down to the male dominated society. A young Japanese man does not need strong academic skills to become successful. He just needs interview and 'yes man' skills. However, for a woman to be successful they need top notch academic achievements to break into the male dominated business management sector. Plus, Japanese women tend to mature much more than men. Most Japanese men don't mature past 13. Look at Abe's appearance as Super Mario at the closing of the Brazilian games, for example.

I feel a Koizumi-esque wind blowing..........

Congratulations to all these women. This is exactly what Japan needs: more grassroots type candidates to shake up the blue-blood establishment. Well done ladies. Hat off to you.

This is great news. But the cynic in me wonders how long it'll be before some BS scandals pop up out of nowhere and force many of these women to step aside.

A very encouraging sign. I hope the trend continues.

I love the smell of change and I think women would do a much better job of running Japan.

I just wish they would distance themselves from the 'Nippon Kaigi'...

If they are members of 'Nippon Kaigi' then their popularity is just a clever 'thin veneer' of playing up to the media (aka Koike). If they are members, then deep down their goal and beliefs are no different to the current LDP oyaji's...

This is really excellent news, and hope the trend gains momentum especially with the grassroots type candidates

Happy beginning , women dominated issues are likely to gain prominence in debates in Tokyo Assembly. This will certainly bring out good change all matters affecting them for their betterment.

Man or woman doesn't matter. What matters is that they do the job right.

Good news and I hope this will bring change. Its only a year or two since a female representative was shouted down and told to get married (or have babies or whatever it was) in the Tokyo Assembly. I trust we will never see that again.

It's an ongoing gripe, but I disagree that waiting lists for childcare are the biggest issue facing women. I think the biggest problem facing anyone with family responsibilities is the need to work compulsory overtime in many full time jobs. Long hours prevent women with elementary and JHS kids and caregiving responsibilities from working. It would cost the government nothing to fix, but overzealous school PTAs and neighbourhood associations can also prevent women from having active working lives.

80% of the kids on waiting lists for childcare are under three. Childcare for under threes is very expensive to provide, and women face barriers to advancement in the workplace throughout their lives, not just for that particular three-year period. Solving this expensive, high-profile problem without other changes will do little to nothing for most women.

If we extrapolate yesterdays JT article on silicone love, how long before we see a silicone woman as a member of the Tokyo assembly?

With women like Koike and Renho, yes, it is a step-forward. With "yes-men" like Inada or other Nippon Kaigi, it is nothing more than women as suservient to the same old dinosaurs, put up as token items for the me. To claim progress when they'd just as soon have them fetch the tea.

Great for the ladies, but I'd like to see them take on issues other than those relating to motherhood.

Perhaps just not reported here?

With women like Koike and Renho, yes, it is a step-forward. With "yes-men" like Inada or other Nippon Kaigi,

Koike is a board member of Nippon Kaigi, Inada has repeatedly acted against Abe's instruction, and will most likely be fired as soon as the August reshuffle.

@Disillusioned, as a writer I must ask what you, a teacher, mean by "after teaching in high schools and colleges for many years I might be enclosed to disagree"...

Enclosed? And you teach??

I love the smell of change and I think women would do a much better job of running Japan.

Believing that women would do a better job is just as sexist as whatever forces were previously preventing women from entering those positions. Aren't we supposed to assume that one's ability to do this job does not depend on what they have between their legs?

So I welcome these changes...

I've learned over the years that the most stubborn women I've ever seen is the strong willed Japanese women. Western women are very mild in comparison. Anyway, this could be good for Japan, but like some here said, I don't care if it's man, woman, Asian, black, whatever, just Do The Right Thing®. Do It All The Time©.