Women's entry in LDP leader race may not boost empowerment

Women's entry in LDP leader race may not boost empowerment

Perhaps being good communicators who are bright, innovative, civic-minded, ethical, and empathetic might trump solely having two X chromosomes.

Like showing up in Kimono during diet session, good for PR but is it have any impact for Japan especially to improve gender equality and empowerment?

https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2020012000915/some-japan-lawmakers-show-up-at-diet-in-kimono.html

"I want to build a country based on conservative politics that would enable women, children, the elderly, and the disabled, who until now have not been able to play a leading role, to live well in society,"

A full frontal display of cognitive dissonance. As my dear deceased mother would have said while shaking her head at that comment "wish in one hand and poo (she had a much earthier word) in the other and see which one fills up the fastest". Conservatives in my experience have absolutely no interest in promoting women, children, the elderly or the disabled. They are all about money, power and macho posturing. There isn't a benevolent bone in their bodies. Conservatives do everything they can to grind those groups down and hold them back. If she is really interested in the above groups she needs to find a more liberal party to aspire to lead.

Japan is a conservative country to say the least and these women, while probably more than capable of doing the job as PM, are not seen as being equal among their peers. They were given figurehead positions to make it look like Abe and others were appealing to the women in the country.

Women need to vote as a block, in all the prefectures, and elect more female candidates to the Diet.

Change is also not going to happen as long as the old-farts still control the factions within the LDP.

This article is undoubtedly sexist .

I find it truly insulting towards equality.

Shame on whomever made it and broadcast it.

the question is which candidate is most qualified to lead Japan and not to question their ability due to gender.

If you treated women with more respect you would probably have more babies being born in Japan.

If you treated women with more respect you would probably have more babies being born in Japan.

That's a fact.

Women need to vote as a block, in all the prefectures, and elect more female candidates to the Diet.

I certainly agree with that.

The former communications minister gave birth to a boy at the age of 50 in 2011 through in vitro fertilization using a donated egg in the United States and her son has disabilities.

I didn't know this. It sounds like something people would use against her, not something that would garner her empathy and support.

“Women need to vote as a block, in all the prefectures, and elect more female candidates to the Diet.”

That is the kind of the thinking that leads to divisive tribalism.

people should think, vote and act like individuals to decide what is best.

Strong, logical ideas will attract large numbers of people without the intolerance inherent in the politics of segregation.

If Pokemon or Hello Kitty ran they would win in landslide

""the Liberal Democratic Party is still heavily influenced by conservative male heavyweights""

AMEN, and that's why it is time for new parties to step up efforts and take control.

Ending the LDP monopoly on power should be the main theme of this election.

Complete nonsense.

Former PM Abe tried to promote women. What happened? ? ?

They quit! Apologetic! Weak!

It wasn't just one woman, several!

Feminist don't like the failures of women. That's why they never talk about them.

Like South Korea who tried a Woman Prime Minister Park Geun-hye..... A Complete disaster!

Aung San Suu Kyi another woman in power for decades in Myanmar, failed and crashed without doing nothing!

This weak women keep crashing and burning. Thats why Men are the Leaders. Where Better at It!

Conservatives in my experience have absolutely no interest in promoting women, children, the elderly or the disabled. 

What a ridiculous statement. Conservatives are no more or less interested in the lives of all citizens than Leftist are. They would simply prefer minimal government interference in favor of private institutions such as charities, churches, and civic organizations that enable them to run their own lives according to their own values. The Left insists upon forcing everyone to live by their rules and values and are willing to use the force of government to impose it.

This article about the LDP’s male dominance is exactly backward. The LDP is operating within a democracy and it reflects the values of the majority of the people. If they imposed their own way of thinking they would lose support and be thrown out of power.

Dang. Koike really compared the going extinct dinosaurs and Japan to the Taliban? That's gotta hurt.

One of the worst misogynists are the female politicians within the LDP. Many have fascist tendencies, judging from their involvement with people from the ultra far right and pro-Nazi groups, and are the first to heckle at other women who want equal rights, eg the right to keep their own names after marriage. These women really should follow their own advice and stick to the kitchen.

Everything about Takaichi makes me sick. Never trust people with horrible teeth - that's why the teeth of these crooks in posters are always photoshopped.

Seems like one of Abe's Arrows about empowering women went really limp.

They would simply prefer minimal government interference in favor of private institutions such as charities, churches, and civic organizations

How wonderfully quaint. You make the world seem like a deeply religious small town in the Mid West.

Making jam and singing hymns ain’t going to put wheelchair access in every building in the country.

Female empowerment versus equality ?

Any person that needs empowerment is not talking about equality.

Any quest for dominance is not equality.

That's why the Greeks invented democracy.

Women can be just as sexist as men .

In a male dominant society like ours, status quo is hard to change. It may take many generations to change it.

Unreasonable and ignorant and not reasonable and wise.

When it comes to politics women are just as compatible as men.

And possible more responsible

In reply to the title, "you don't say?"

If Japan has a female pm in the next 30 years I’ll eat my head.

Chance the title to will NOT boost empowerment.

It was unfair for two of the women not to to be asked about national security and diplomacy during debate in the japan national press club (JNPC).

Takaichi is the only person other than 4 candidate that she has obviously mentioned the necessaries of national security.

I don't see that it matters what puppet takes centre stage. Whether they are male, female or somewhere in between doesn't make any difference. They are puppets and someone is pulling their strings.

Not everyone wants to be a wage slave

You “empower” women (and men) with the freedom to choose their own way in life. Whether it be politics or home economics it’s empowering to have a society that allows you to do what you want to do. Given that there are two women in the leadership race it’s obvious that women can rise in Japanese politics if they appeal to the values of the voters. Japan is dominated by male politicians because the voting public - approximately 50/50 male to female - want it that way. If you are upset about that, blame it on the voters - both sexes.

Character. Character matters. Who gives a damn what sex the person is as long as they can be an effective elected representative.

"Perhaps being good communicators who are bright, innovative, civic-minded, ethical, and empathetic might trump solely having two X chromosomes."

This should be the undisputed Comment Of The Day, and I'm so glad to find such sentiment at the top of the pile, as it were (notice I didn't call it the "Alpha Dog of Comments"!)

However, we also all know this is NOT how modern (and extremely radicalized) "Third Wave Feminism" actually works. Just as with race, where the "anti-racists" are in fact the ones screaming for overtly racist quotas and DISCRIMINATORY preferences SOLELY based on race- the same sad knee jerk government-sourced responses can be seen by those radical feminists who think, "men doing X is bad, so women doing X is good; if only X were female/if only we could require X numbers for females...then everything would be "better".)

But then we remember how some of the best known professional "feminists" like Hillary Clinton "She PERSISTED!!!"), even more so than from this "conservative" Japanese party's female candidates, are in fact usually the ones most likely to have a long and dismal record of aggressive Women-Bashing; of attacking, belittling and demeaning scores of other women in the most anti-feminist fashion in order to get to where they wanted to be in life!

(Remember Hillary's "War Room" comments about "Bimbo Eruptions" when trying to blame Bill's philandering on...his female victims, anyone? Remember how "strong woman" Madeline “500,000 dead Iraqi children was worth it” Albright remarked in February 2016 that there was “a special place in hell” for women who don’t support Hillary Clinton? lol...Feminism! Or to let just one of dozens of media-ignored female victim of Bill Clinton put it for us: “Hillary Clinton ruins women before they can ruin Bill. I found out firsthand how she operates. Hillary choreographed every terror campaign that has been waged against women. Bill Clinton groped me in the Oval Office against my will, and I’ve been harassed and intimidated for years. How could she be a champion of women’s rights and do what she does to women? Hillary needs to be exposed.”

But hey! A vote for "Two X Chromosomes" is always "better", right?...unless you want to compete in "women's" sports, that is! Then? lol. Yeah...

Man, woman, it doesn't really matter. The LDP has a lock from gerrymandering by giving payola to old farmers and people with a fake little plot of rice. Japan can change dramatically if it chooses to, but it chooses not to now. Japan and the US are similar in their stubbornness. People are still fighting old wars and don't want change. Hell, the US can't even change to metric.

They are obviously not even in the rankings, and that says it all.

"Even if she wins, it's almost like decorating the same old party with just the mask of a woman," said Mieko Nakabayashi, a political science professor at Waseda University in Tokyo.

She's got to the point. Female LDP lawmakers who had been picked up (without considering merits/qualifications) to the high-ranking positions often ended up being a puppet or "mannequin" figure due mostly to lack of own experience and power bases.

To resolve this, I suggest that more women or minorities be taken in at the entry to middle levels of the party organization, perhaps through quota or preferential policy while top executive leaders should be selected based on merit and via fair and open competitions.

"I want to build a country based on conservative politics that would enable...

That sounds like a contradiction. A political enigma if you will.

In most situations it would be nice to see women running for PM, but the only reason they are allowed to be where they are is because they are the total opposite to what you would imagine a female politician would be. Since the PM is just a prop and the ones really doing the decision making won't change, having a female PM would be a good thing for the LDP, since it would further increase Japans smoke screen to the rest of the world while still not having to change anything.

This should be easy to see, if it is involves the LDP it can't involve empowering women (unless is in the crime section, maybe getting one of them sexists caught does a little to empower women).

"empowerment" is often times a lie sold to women in the west that shames those who settle down to marriage and children.

The "empowered" delay these things to chase their own tails working 60-70 workweeks in their 20s and 30s until they hit a wall sometime in their 30s, disillusioned, and with the prospect of both fading fast.

Equal in evil?

Women politicians can be just as corrupt as men politicians. The power brokers behind the scenes pulling the strings would gladly have a woman front for them, as it would provide an illusion of progress, while maintaining the status quo.

Sanae Takaichi

This woman makes my skin crawl.

The only thing she is the answer to is 'Who absolutely shouldn't be the next PM?'

Blue -

Iam talking about equality is my point.

Whomever wrote the article sounds sexist to me .

I don't care who.

Thats my opinion.

I actually have an opinion instead of just criticizing everyone else's and reposting their comments in case you haven't noticed.

WolfpackToday  08:55 am JST

The LDP is operating within a democracy and it reflects the values of the majority of the people. 

What a lot of simplistic, ignorant rubbish. It's almost surprising you aren't against them because they call themselves "liberal" and "democratic."

at the end of the day this is still very positive - at least young japanese girls can watch this on tv and see that a successful career in politics is possible for females ... kind of like Carl Lewis breaking 10 sec barrier and all of sudden everyone starts breaking the 10 sec barrier.... they need to believe in themselves that it is possible first...

Takaichi, is so far to the right, that conservative does not describe her politics. She is reactionary and embraces a totalitarian model of the state. At best she is a Leninist.

Koda, is professedly conservative, though acknowledging issues that effect women. She is not progressive or in any manner embraces feminist issues.

Both are members of an atavistic party that was emplaced in power by militarists and right-wing government officials from the USA, pos WW2. Almost 75 years later, they are still in power and have managed to undermine or block Japan from becoming a genuine democracy that represents, not just 'the people', but the common & greater good.

The mere fact they are female is moot. Takaichi is as conservative, reactionary and right-wing as any of her colleagues. Koda is akin to a Clintonite, which is not a compliment.

Not one of the four is capable of advancing an agenda that deals with the reality of the 21st century.

Koda is probably the best choice - but, since she is within the LDP, any changes for the good, would be miniscule.

Kyo wa heiwa dayo neToday 12:57 pm JST

I actually have an opinion instead of just criticizing everyone else's and reposting their comments in case you haven't noticed.

Alright, then express your opinion, what's sexist about that article ? Because I don't see it yet.

What is "empowerment"?.

@Richard G: Brilliant post and so accurate. My response to you will be deemed off topic so if you get to read it, cherish it!

Man or woman, I don’t care what’s between the legs. The only thing that matters is ability. Do any of these candidates have any?

There is nothing progressive about Takaichi: more like a mad dog rampant. As for Noda, a facade is all that's there: a few nice words to fool the credulous. They are both dyed-in-the wool Jimintou (Liberal Democratic Party).

The LDP is neither liberal nor democratic, and some of its members are downright deranged, while others are just plain malevolent. It's an unfortunate state of affairs when we have to depend on a supposed conservative party in the face of PRC and DPRK aggression, while the whole lot of them are navel-gazing incompetents and big-money puppets.

Women's entry in LDP leader race may not boost empowerment........

That is hardly crystal ball enlightenment, at a jot fair ground political candy floss. A sugary teeth rotting delusionary pretense.

Nether in office made an iota of a pretense of women's empowerment.

They both just sat rigid in the pretense that a future political role was in the offering.

If they toed the LDP party line

Ms Takaichi, in order to even be in the running, has had to play a game whose rules have been entirely dictated by the male establishment and has been able to win over enough of the moss covered males to be where she is. THAT is what we call personal POWER. She has embraced 'unusual' choices for a politician in her past in personal sartorial taste, activities, and even music but has won over enough petrified opinion to be deemed 'eligible'. No small feat for a woman at this level of political competition.

She has, in fact, done such damage to the Old Boy structure that they, transparently, desperately threw in another female at the last minute to try to throw the election, to divert support from Ms Takaichi, and allow one of her limp wristed, less able male competitors to take the election away from her. This desperate tactic alone, essentially an inadvertent vote of confidence by her detractors, should be enough to show the electorate who has the personal power to unite and do the best for Nihon. They're scared for their own ambitions, not the welfare and future of the Japanese People...

Again, she has had to play the reactionary conservative to get ANYWHERE in the stoically petrified world of Nihon national politics but I suspect that what her choices will be when she takes over the reins of government should not be judged by what has been in the past. However 'conservative' she has had to be in the past to achieve what she has, she will necessarily be working from a seriously different perspective of LIFE and its needs. From what we have seen in the past, that alone should elect her easily.

Women need to vote as a block, in all the prefectures, and elect more female candidates to the Diet.

This is exactly why gender politics needs to end at all costs. It's destructive and devastating.

Why are you so desperate to be in power? What are these so-called "inequalities" that you are trying to change?

There are only two types of feminists in this world (outside of the Middle East): Those that want female superiority, and those that want to eliminate gender differences.

Both of these ideologies are harmful and dangerous to both men and women.

You'll get to the point where women will control the vote, and their sensibilities will dominate in Japan. It happened here in America.

You'll get to the point where women will control the vote, and their sensibilities will dominate in Japan. It happened here in America.

An even better example is Australia.