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Abe pledges global focus on women's rights in U.N. speech

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“I do not consider the outlook to be optimistic. However, I know one thing: that in my country, Japan, there are a considerable number of people who are working unsparingly toward that end.”

Whereupon he was served green tea by a young lady with a Masters

10 ( +15 / -5 )

....women shine, in soap lands? in roppongi, shinjuku, shibuya, ueno... (And other red light districts)

... also in AV industry...

2 ( +8 / -6 )

World was great before the slave factories emerged

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

talk nonsense! doesnt want to acknowledge the comfort woman done by the stupid imperial army coz his ancestor also part of it. shame on you.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

Abe pledges global focus on women's rights in U.N. speech

Says the guy who denies the abduction of comfort women by the Japanese.

2 ( +12 / -10 )

Abe saying that is like the former German dictator addressing the issue of racism.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

There is no evidence that having more women in politics of high up in companies will boost the economy. The birth rate along with fertility rates has fallen in all first world countries and this is not due to working conditions for women in Japan.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

Hardmentougblokes has a point....

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

I think he was told to say this by the US...

0 ( +7 / -7 )

I really wish people could look at the future. Yes the Japanese ARMY did horrible things during the war but this is now and we have enough problems to deal with now. I'm one of the rare men who stays at home while my wife works so I interact with a lot of housewives and their position in society sucks, anything that can be done to improve that is good news.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

If Abe feels so strongly for women's rights, maybe he should retract his denial that comfort women were forced to serve in military brothels against their will, while some survivors are still alive.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

The Birthrate has fallen because you have put women here into more jobs. If you insist that and try to teach that they should work, then of course the birthrate will fall further. Pick one, jobs for women or a higher birthrate. It is difficult to have both.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Work in any office in Japan and it's clear that he has a lot of work to do...

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Hardmentoughblokes and David Wagner are wrong: Look to northern Europe.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Looking back on recent history, Japan has signed a UN resolution to eradicate discrimination (2006). Since then, little or no progress has been made, even after a special envoy from the UN visited Japan to access real conditions and actions taken by the government. When the envoy reported that little to nothing had been done, the Japanese government responded that they had no power to enforce matters at the local level. http://www.geneva-academy.ch/RULAC/pdf_state/Spec-Rap-Racism-2007-G0610396.pdf

Let's look at physical abuse by teachers and coaches: the most recent and sensational case is the suspension of sentence for the basketball teacher who beat his student. The student eventually committing suicide, there is little outcry from the Abe administration. Do we see any other steps to stem the tide of this unacceptable situation?

So then check-book diplomacy again ahead of some international sports games and an Olympics. Meanwhile, revisionist editing of textbooks continue, Fukushima No.1 Plant is falling apart in front of our eyes and a whole region of Japan citizens left out in the cold, neglected. Abenomics is driving the country to such a level of sovereign debt that gov't bonds will soon lose their luster, plunging the country into (further) economic crisis.

Now pledges to improve the plight of women?

They're making this stuff up as they go.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@Hardmentoughblokes You are wrong. Several studies have shown that more women would boost Japan's economy. Google Kathy Matsui's "Womenomics" report for example.

Here's a quote: "If Japan could close its gender employment gap, we estimate that Japan’s workforce could expand by 8.2 mn and the level of Japan’s GDP could increase by as much as 15%. Against a backdrop of anemic consumption, female spending trends have been relatively resilient."

And yes, birthrates have fallen in many countries, but not as fast as in Japan, where it's the lowest in the developed world. One quarter of Japan's population is already over 60. In the future, young people will face tremendous pressure to pay taxes and fund pensions and social services.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

This guy is promising everything and nothing knowing very well that this will not happen in Japan for a long long time. So, what else has he promised???????

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Don't get it Abe, I thought you had a ton of other promises to handle first

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The irony of Japan of all countries professing to making a stand on this issue...!

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Good to know that Abe has a gag in the UN, is that suppose to wake up the fat deligates after their big lunch? Women's rights, I think he can start that at home in Japan first!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The end is near. Promises announced to the world that will not be kept. And, yet he goes on like a parrot in a cage.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's incredible the arrogance of this guy showing up there and pretending that Japan is doing anything or has done anything for equal rights of women in japan. This is just disgusting, this guy disgusts me.

Women in Japan have no rights in respect to men. It's as simple as that. They are treated like shit, they have no rights for decision making, they have no rights for well and fair salaries for their work, they have no rights for responsibilities, they are just the victims of a conservative and misogynist society. The only place this society considers them "useful" is in host bars, SPA, sex clubs, porn movies, the most humiliating it is, the best it is.

I work in academia and the Universitas ranking which ranks countries based on their university and academic system showed that in terms of employment of women (teaching staff, research staff) Japan ranks the same as Iran. Yes Iran, so Abe should at this point shut his mouth up and stop pretending that Japan is civilized.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Yeah the LDP cares so much about women's rights. Let me guess, Abe willl assign a 70-year old man to be minister of women's affairs, increase the number of home-ec classes in junior high school and double the maternity payout to families in order to encourage a higher birthrate.

Whatever will happen, he won't address the underlying problems of this patriarchal society. When you're in a hole, stop digging.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

This man has oral diahrrea, must be his tummy ache, sorry didn't mean to insult someone with an illness. Yeah, support women'r rights by pledging a paltry 1 million dollars for victims of sexual violence. Shut up and come on home, there's a lot of work to be done with your TEPCO boyz.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Words are simple platitudes. Show some action.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I see, this from a man who is PM of a country ranking 101 for gender equality.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Very little action will be taken because society is dominated by old people who still think a woman's place is in the home.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

If he means he wants the women of the world to be more like their Japanese sisters, he is on a winner.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Wanting to grow the economy is not the reason to give women equal working rights and if this is their thinking it will never work. The only reason to give women equal working rights is that it is the right and moral thing to do.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

If he were making a speech at election time in Japan he would be flanked by 2 young women dressed a little bit racily waving and occasionally squeaking some slogan or other. Kind of says it all.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Hope that includes OLs who are forced to act as waitresses for their male colleagues.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

If women's rights were important at all why are most of the educated Japanese women still serving tea to their corporate masters? After more than 50 years after the 2nd World War ended in 1945 while many countries have seen their women progress up the ladder and form a more significant percentage of management staff why is Japan still performing so badly? It is the historical man-gender superiority mentality that continues to stay firmly in the grip. How does a country break out of its antique-thinking cocoon when it just refuses to emerge and become a butterfly? Presence in a UN General Assembly and making a speech does not mean anything without concrete follow-up action. Like with the other commitments, this is probably no different from others made earlier on the world stage.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

tried to listen to his speech, expecting to hear his govn't's plans to tackle diplomatic problems with very closest neighbors, which might includes the rhetoric surrounding yasukuni shrine, maybe the issue around comfort women, major disputes, and others, but none were addressed. looks more like shifting everyone's view out of Japanese reality, or maybe his govn't won't try to address those as well.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Women in Japan have no rights in respect to men. It's as simple as that. They are treated like shit, they have no rights for decision making, they have no rights for well and fair salaries for their work, they have no rights for responsibilities, they are just the victims of a conservative and misogynist society.

lol, have you ever been in Japan? It's just like everywhere around the world. Where did you get this view?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

lol, have you ever been in Japan? It's just like everywhere around the world. Where did you get this view?

lol, have you ever been outside Japan?

Of course women's equality issues are not confined to Japan. Neighbouring Korea and China are worse, but to deny Japan is up there with the rest of the developed world (USA, most of western Europe, Australia) is laughable.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Women in Japan are more powerful, in control and respected than many on this thread may think. It's not all about salaries.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

@Serendipitous... my ex has to make tea for her boss and other male colleagues when they ask. She doesn't get the same treatment from them. She's expected to just smile politely and do it. Trouble is she takes it as read - and she doesn't understand why it annoys me. She just says "it's Japanese culture". Japan really does need to modernise its attitudes towards women in the workplace.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

*

Probie Says the guy who denies the abduction of comfort women by the Japanese. *

*

Abe or any Japanese has never denied their existence. And many Japanese feel the moral issue from it from today's point of view. So Japan apologizes many times and has paid compensation and established supporting organizations not for only Koreans but other nations as well.

However, After I studied with a lot of great details, and historical facts and some objective documents from the 3rd party.Many interviews from Korean people around 1990, the based on that, I strongly denied the abduction by Japan as a fact but it is a wrong accusation. Do yo really know that fact with any hard evidence?

There is a two different issues. Except some individual cases such a case in Indonesia.That Japan and Mr. Abe has accepted for long time as a fact. This would be the off this topic, I would stop now.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

lol, have you ever been in Japan? It's just like everywhere around the world. Where did you get this view?

If I have ever been in Japan? Look I have been living in Japan for 11 years, I work at Hokkaido university and live in Sapporo. What do you say now?

Like everywhere in the world? Are you real? Did you bother to think before writing this stupidity? Yes it's the same in other repressive countries against women but in countries which are truly making efforts towards stopping the stupidity that discrimination against women is, no way. Have a look in Europe, US, some South American countries are also way better.

Where did I get this view!? Real life, just looking around will give you a sense of the situation. Now I give you one example that I know well. In my all research institute there is no a single women employed as teaching staff (professor, associate professor, lecturer or assistant professor) and there is no a single women employed as doctorate researcher and If you happen to find one in another institute that would be an exception. In the all institute, not a single one, this is madness. The women that you see are all secretaries, employed with short contracts and low salaries. Pathetic and shameful. Pretty much the same in all faculties at Hokkaido university. Pretty much the same for all universities in Japan as the Universitas report showed which you should really read.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

If Abe feels so strongly for women's rights, maybe he should retract his denial that comfort women were forced to serve in military brothels against their will, while some survivors are still alive.

That's not what he said so there is no retraction necessary.

I believe Abe made it clear that he and the Japanese government are no longer interested to those nations and group who continually bring up the past despite the prior efforts. He is, however, had stated that he will pledge and aid billions to those developing nations who are looking towards the future.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Ridiculous stories and speculation here. Women are doing just fine in Japan, don't like it too bad. Japan is doing fine without fancy western ways destroying the nation thank you. I think women should be women like they are in Japan not like many in the west, acting like the worst of men getting drunk and acting the fool, also mostly obese.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Mitch Cohen

Have you never been to Japan?

Weird that a Japanese PM draws so much criticism for standing up and making a very positive statement for change and improvement....

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Thunderbird2 - Yes the tea thing is a bit boring but I was at the bank the other day and a male staffer was serving tea.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Yes, sure. More tea ladies and office ladies will be hired.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Eiji TakanoSep. 27, 2013 - 09:05AM JST wrote3 I think he was told to say this by the US.. ..............................................................................................

No if USA is not expecting Bankrupt on Tuesday, USA more likely tried to stop Abe's speech. don;t you know USA have more powerful women in every fields? Hillary Clinton, UN Ambassador, Even Carolyne Kennedy was recruited. Facebook CEO. and many women top business CEO are only able t to compete huge Japan Inc. in USA. BTW, Abe is talking about women in the world, now/ He is not talking about WW I I. Muslim world, India, and many countries. Birth Rate in China is low A family is allowed one son, no girls.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

This whole thing about "womens rights" has got way out of control. Firstly, there is no direct evidence that having women in jobs improves the economy, even if it did, it'll come at a cost to a family, and as Confucius once said, "the strength of a nature derives from the integrity of the home", whilst now, Japanese birth rates are falling, a damn ageing society whereas before, family and traditional values held supreme. Not anymore in Japan. Western ideas need to end and go back to Japanese glory days or risk losing your identity.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Maybe he has in his mind of that Muslim girl who was almost killed in her country when he tried to talk about the country will accept girls in school. He was rescued and England gave her to recover from her near death injury,

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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