IMF chief says global economy not utilizing women effectively

Commenting on gender roles, Akie said “men and women are different and so women should be feminine.” There in a nutshell is what's wrong. Abe and wife don't have a clue. You have to be feminine and fit in the roles deemed "correct" by a society run by men? Hmmm...

I have someone in my department who is a female jock and is not the least bit feminine, in fact I would say leaning more toward the masculine. I don't give a dang because she is the one who I turn to when I have an important project and she is the who pulls through, and she is the one I'm promoting in our department. And it would be the same in reverse. An effeminate male is less worthy than the masculine, macho muscle brain? Gimme a break...

Ok. Let women fill 51% of active duty military posts then. No?

WAW should stand for What A Waste because it is a waste of Japanese taxpayers money to have these conferences that are nothing more than a PR stunt for PM Abe.

Well said by IMF.

So far, Japan is not maximizing economic potential for growth. Here is an opportunity for Japan and Japanese women. Second, abolish mandatory retirement age at 65, so that the labor market will expand as well. This is a positive solution to combat in aging demography of Japan before relying on immigrant workers.

You may want to look at daycare model from French and Scandinavian countries. This is a positive economic reform #101. Hope you think about this very seriously.

There's a proverb, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

Global, how do you propose to pay for the childcare? More taxes, of course! Typical socialist constantly urging more wealth redistribution, as long as it's not your wealth and you get a chunk of the loot.

Global, how do you propose to pay for the childcare? More taxes, of course!

Exactly. It's people taking care of each other. We all live in symbiosis with each other. The rich cannot get rich without workers to work for them, and the regular workers cannot work without the rich to employ them. Therefore it is in everyone's best interest for everyone else to be healthy. There is also the fact that we live in a closed ecosystem, and diseases do not care about your socioeconomic status.

Typical socialist constantly urging more wealth redistribution, as long as it's not your wealth and you get a chunk of the loot.

I make a lot of money - I'd guess I'm probably in the top 10% of Japan, if not higher. And I have no problem whatsoever with sharing of wealth, as I prefer to live in a healthy, educated society that takes care of its own. The alternative does not appeal to me whatsoever.

Given the choice of sticking the baby in daycare so they can go straight back to work, and having a decent amount of time off to raise the kid(s) plus the ability to go back to work on a full or part-time basis once they're in school, most women would choose the latter. As it is, they're choosing the nearest thing to it currently available - When women do return to work as their children get older, which most do, they generally can only get part-time, lower paying work. Rather than bicker about who's going to pay for the daycare, this is the problem that needs to be addressed.

Women working in the civil service in Japan can take time off up until the youngest child reaches the age of three, and then reenter the work force at the level they left it. Don't know that that would work with commercial enterprises, but the idea that a woman who has spent a number of years caring for children is fit for nothing but low-paid, disposable jobs needs to change.

When women do return to work as their children get older, which most do, they generally can only get part-time, lower paying work. Rather than bicker about who's going to pay for the daycare, this is the problem that needs to be addressed.

So true. My kids are nearing an age where my wife could go back to work. She would like to work a proper job again. But she has little interest in going to work at a part-time job (she's well educated), and when considering the little money she would pull in at such a job, we'd both rather have her at home managing our household.

When college educate people get a job, they usually get paid well. They can afford childcare cost, especially if they have husband. I don't think I should talk children raising situation in Japan because I raised my children in USA and that was a long time ago. But I know you can afford childcare cost when you and your husband have good jobs.

But I know you can afford childcare cost when you and your husband have good jobs.

The problem in Japan is that if the woman wants to take a couple of years off to raise the kids when they are young, even if she is willing to put the kids in childcare when they are older, it's hard for them to get 'good jobs'.

@Strangerland : Thank you for info.

The world will be a better place if man stay at house and woman go to work and as well work as military :) How will be a war between women?

John GaltSep. 14, 2014 - 09:25AM JST

There's a proverb, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

Global, how do you propose to pay for the childcare? More taxes, of course! Typical socialist constantly urging more wealth redistribution, as long as it's not your wealth and you get a chunk of the loot.

StrangerlandSep. 14, 2014 - 09:44AM JST

Global, how do you propose to pay for the childcare? More taxes, of course!

Exactly

Birth rate of Japan has been declining while seniors are retiring and living longer. In macro economics sense, Japanese children with higher education and skill eventually become an asset in society and support your Kosei Nenkin.

StrangerlandSep. 14, 2014 - 10:35AM JST

But I know you can afford childcare cost when you and your husband have good jobs.

The problem in Japan is that if the woman wants to take a couple of years off to raise the kids when they are young, even if she is willing to put the kids in childcare when they are older, it's hard for them to get 'good jobs'.

For men and women, good jobs come with higher education in skill based global economy. The key word is a GLOBAL ECONOMY.

I talked with Japanese younger ladies about Japanese women want to stay home for 2 years now. As I am old and my grandchildren are their age, they lectured me that not 2 years and don;t talk like a man. Theyllike to stay home for about 3 months until going back to work. 3 months could be true. Come to think back, I went back to job right away. I had my 5 children every 15 or 16 months. If i wanted to stay home 2 years, I wouldn't be able to work for so many years while technology changed and O would be very out of dated old woman. .

Strangerland, if you make so much money in Japan, why would your wife, with her high education, want to go back to work? Instead, she could lead a charity to support under-privileged mothers increase their station in life.

If any person, regardless of gender, takes two or three years off work in their career field, they will most likely become less proficient in their skills, even more so as technology leaps ahead and things change.

Pay everything with more taxes is the typical marxist/socialist MO. No, thanks! Or go to Cuba where you'll fit in.

if you make so much money in Japan, why would your wife, with her high education, want to go back to work?

She really enjoyed her work. It brought her a lot of satisfaction.

Instead, she could lead a charity to support under-privileged mothers increase their station in life.

That is not at all her style.

Pay everything with more taxes is the typical marxist/socialist MO.

The rhetoric is nauseating. There is a happy medium between marxism, and capitalism. Socialism, no matter how much the brainwashed American republicans want to bury their head in the sand, works. There are so many socialist countries out there with a higher standard of living than the US as real-world evidence.

John GaltSep. 15, 2014 - 08:40AM JST

Pay everything with more taxes is the typical marxist/socialist MO. No, thanks! Or go to Cuba where you'll fit in.

Do you want to eliminate SSI, Medicare, Medicaid from US Middle Income people? Do you want to eliminate Kokumin Nenkin, Kosei Nenkin, National Health Care and Long Term Care programs from Japanese Middle Income people?

Oh, I see you belong to one of these top 10% who do not want to give up one dime for others for equity. Greed and selfishness are more important to some who end up with nothing. . We are teaching our children that sharing is receiving in my culture. That's how it is written, thy will be done.

Chrisitne Lagarde is an overpromoted old boot. Yes, women may get a raw deal in commerce and finance and government but when you listen to the drivel she spouts it is easy to forget that fact. corrupt politician in a cushy MON job.

Strangerland Sep. 15, 2014 - 08:49AM JST & globalwatcherSep. 15, 2014 - 11:44AM JST

Socialism is no more than the concentration of political and economic powers in the hands of the State and has nothing to do with sharing. Socialism shares only misery, History has already shown it to us. And the logic also teach us.

The socialist ideal is, in essence, the attenuation or elimination of economic power through political power. But no one can effectively arbitrate differences between the most powerful and the less powerful without being more powerful than both: The socialist State has to concentrate power not only to impose itself to the poor, but also to victoriously face all wealthy.

There must be a clear separation between economic power and political power. This is essential in a democratic State, and if this separation does not exist the open society is eliminated. If people do not have the means of survival through the market, regardless of the State, the condition of freedom disappears.

Moreover, to realize the so-called "happy medium" between Marxism and capitalism it is necessary to increase taxes and to inflate the state bureaucracy, it would obviously cripple the economy making the poor even poorer.

Socialism shares only misery, History has already shown it to us. And the logic also teach us.

And yet, there are socialist countries in the world today which are economically prosperous, and have a better overall standard of living than the most rampant capitalist country in the world today (America).

There must be a clear separation between economic power and political power.

No, there must not. Without governmental checks and balances to capitalistic motivations, you get income disparity in which the majority of the population ends up subservient to the finances of a very small percentage of the population. You can look to the US and China as real-world current-day examples of this. You are preaching that a government that has power over the economy leads to a government that controls the people, yet you are also preaching for a system where the rich control the people - do you not see that it's swapping one master for another? Neither system, where either the government is too powerful, or the rich are too powerful, benefits the people, and both systems with this power imbalance lead to a lower overall quality of life in the system.

Moreover, to realize the so-called "happy medium" between Marxism and capitalism it is necessary to increase taxes and to inflate the state bureaucracy, it would obviously cripple the economy making the poor even poorer.

If that were true, you would see countries like Norway, Sweden, Belgium and Canada with huge income disparity, with poor who are not taken care of. Yet reality shows that to not be the case.

Unfortunately she is one woman has has got ahead thru being a little bit dodgy and great networker. shame, she is the epitome of bureaucratic fat cat who speaks nonsense and adds no value.

Advantage of two income families. They can afford their children attend to universities as trend of Japan is University education. Tax? Accounting Dept pay for you. You don't pay by yourself. It is not time only well-to-do family sent their children to Universities. I see girls do not care to become home-maid wife anymore. That is a change in Japan;s family history after female received equal right after WW II.

StrangerlandSep. 15, 2014 - 05:27PM JST

Countries like Sweden, Norway and Belgium got rich and prosperous through the old and good free market economy model. Since the implementation of the "third way" the only prosperity they enjoy is in the crime rate. Moreover, to compare the standard of living and prosperity index of small countries like Norway (5 millions of people), Sweden (9 millions) and Belgium (11 millions) and even Canada (35 million despite of its huge terrotory) to America with its continental dimension and more than 300 millions of people is like to compare the technology of an smartphone to the technology of a space shuttle. An absolutely unrealistic comparison!

As for the powers, the concentration of power, economic and political, is the very definition of a totalitarian regime and it seems to me that you firmly defend totalitarianism and all the state intervention that it represents in the private life of citizens. This is not about a government that has power over the economy as you said, this is not about the power imbalance that you tried to portray, it is about SEPARATION of economic and political powers, the opposite of CONCENTRATION of both powers in the hands of the State, an absolute necessity of a socialist regime. In the free market economy world, this separation of economic and political powers creates balance, obviously the imbalance is a result of concentration. Just as any democratic State of rights have separated powers (executive, legislative and judicial) to prevent the abuse of concentration of power. Any school boy is aware of this.

Yes, US and China are real-world current-day examples and it is hard to believe that you regard China, an economy based in slavery, abuse of human rights, State intervention even in the number of children that people can have, with the absolute majority of its population living below poverty line and one party system as a positive model compared to the US one.

There are some organizations that can not achieve "not utilizing women effectively " Example are professional, Baseball team, Mixed Marshakk /arts, Football, Basketball etc in USA. But Management type jobs, female do very good and get promotion. S. Korean President is female. Maybe LDP will create female PM to replace Abe?

If more workers come into the workforce, it will become a buyer's market for Japanese employers and they will simply offer substandard working conditions again. It's called supply and demand.

Some of Japan's improved econ. stats pre-tax hike were credited to the tight labor situation, which raised wages. Say good-bye to that.

IMF is the organization that completely destroyed many developing countries due to their exporting of the insane market fundamentalist capitalism.

@enough_ropeSEP. 16, 2014 - 08:29AM JST IMF is the organization that completely destroyed many developing countries due to their exporting of the insane market fundamentalist capitalism.

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Write names of these disappeared contries. How many totla?

enough_rope Sep. 16, 2014 - 08:29AM JST

The IMF is an organization that is dedicated to taking money from poor people in rich countries to give to rich people in poor countries. From time to time we see socialists angry with the IMF as if the IMF were a booster of the economic liberalism and not one of the major controllers of the world economy in a very socialist fashion. The IMF is, actually, the controlling body of the world economy, established by Lord Keynes who, besides being a fierce statist, was a contributor to the Soviet network of influence. As I have mentioned, we see from time to time socialists angry with the IMF, portraying the IMF as a symbol of capitalism and the so-called "market fundamentalism" (a typical socialist cliché with no connection to reality). But when the IMF economically strangled the Somoza government in Nicaragua to pave the way to power to the communist Sandinistas, no socialist got angry. The IMF has no such ideological identity that you mentioned @enough_rope, it actually has another.

What IMF business got to do with what this article state about women ???

toshikoSep. 16, 2014 - 09:30PM JST

What IMF business got to do with what this article state about women ???

Labor Economics in Global Economy and Women's Role in it.

"Do you want to eliminate SSI, Medicare, Medicaid from US Middle Income people? Do you want to eliminate Kokumin Nenkin, Kosei Nenkin, National Health Care and Long Term Care programs from Japanese Middle Income people?"

Yes! Bingo! Imagine if people weren't robbed of 40% of their own earnings how much better off each and every person would be! Instead, we're robbed of the fruits of our labor only to have our earnings wasted on multiple levels of bureaucracy before a small fraction finally goes to those it's purported to go. Taxes feed the leech-political class.

"Oh, I see you belong to one of these top 10% who do not want to give up one dime for others for equity."

Nope, not top 10‰(as Strangleland claims to be), but what I have I have earned honestly through my own endeavors, not from the loot robbed of others.

"Greed and selfishness are more important to some who end up with nothing. . We are teaching our children that sharing is receiving in my culture. "

Sharing is caring. My VOLUNTARY acts of charity go to those truly in need directly and yyou'll never know about them because what charitable acts I do I do secretly. I believe there's a bible verse about that.

"That's how it is written, thy will be done."

Ok!

The People of the State of New York v. Strauss-Kahn was a criminal case relating to allegations of sexual assault and attempted rape made by a hotel maid, Nafissatou Diallo, against Dominique Strauss-Kahn at the Sofitel New York Hotel on May 14, 2011. The charges were dismissed at the request of the prosecution which pointed out serious doubts in Diallo's credibility and inconclusive physical evidence. In a TV interview in September, Strauss-Kahn admitted that his liaison with Diallo was a moral fault and described it as "inappropriate" but that it did not involve violence, constraint or aggression. He said that Diallo had lied and that he had no intention of negotiating with her over a civil suit she had filed against him The suit was later settled for an undisclosed amount.

On May 19, 2011, Strauss-Kahn was indicted by a grand jury and after posting $1 million bail and pleading not guilty he was placed under house arrest. On July , prosecutors told the judge that they had reassessed the strength of their case in the light of the housekeeper's diminished credibility, and the case against him was near collapse. On 23 August 2011, the judge formally dismissed all charges following a recommendation for dismissal filed by the District Attorney's office, which asserted that the complainant's untruthfulness made it impossible to credit her.

At the time of the alleged attack, Strauss-Kahn was the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and considered to be a leading candidate for the 2012 French Presidency. Four days after his arrest, he voluntarily resigned his post at the IMF. There was widespread speculation in France after his arrest that he was the victim of a conspiracy.

Does this new head concerend about low income female workers, too??? Did she cleared out her male stuffs who copy their former boss's behaviour???

The People of the State of New York v. Strauss-Kahn was a criminal case relating to allegations of sexual assault and attempted rape made by a hotel maid, Nafissatou Diallo, against Dominique Strauss-Kahn at the Sofitel New York Hotel on May 14, 2011. The charges were dismissed at the request of the prosecution which pointed out serious doubts in Diallo's credibility and inconclusive physical evidence. In a TV interview in September, Strauss-Kahn admitted that his liaison with Diallo was a moral fault and described it as "inappropriate" but that it did not involve violence, constraint or aggression. He said that Diallo had lied and that he had no intention of negotiating with her over a civil suit she had filed against him The suit was later settled for an undisclosed amount.

On May 19, 2011, Strauss-Kahn was indicted by a grand jury and after posting $1 million bail[6] and pleading not guilty he was placed under house arrest.[7] On July 1, prosecutors told the judge that they had reassessed the strength of their case in the light of the housekeeper's diminished credibility, and the case against him was near collapse.[8][9] On 23 August 2011, the judge formally dismissed all charges following a recommendation for dismissal filed by the District Attorney's office, which asserted that the complainant's untruthfulness made it impossible to credit her.[3][10]

At the time of the alleged attack, Strauss-Kahn was the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and considered to be a leading candidate for the 2012 French Presidency. Four days after his arrest, he voluntarily resigned his post at the IMF. There was widespread speculation in France after his arrest that he was the victim of a conspiracy. The People of the State of New York v. Strauss-Kahn was a criminal case relating to allegations of sexual assault and attempted rape made by a hotel maid, Nafissatou Diallo, against Dominique Strauss-Kahn at the Sofitel New York Hotel on May 14, 2011. The charges were dismissed at the request of the prosecution which pointed out serious doubts in Diallo's credibility and inconclusive physical evidence. In a TV interview in September, Strauss-Kahn admitted that his liaison with Diallo was a moral fault and described it as "inappropriate" but that it did not involve violence, constraint or aggression. He said that Diallo had lied and that he had no intention of negotiating with her over a civil suit she had filed against him The suit was later settled for an undisclosed amount.

On May 19, 2011, Strauss-Kahn was indicted by a grand jury and after posting $1 million bail[6] and pleading not guilty he was placed under house arrest.[7] On July 1, prosecutors told the judge that they had reassessed the strength of their case in the light of the housekeeper's diminished credibility, and the case against him was near collapse.[8][9] On 23 August 2011, the judge formally dismissed all charges following a recommendation for dismissal filed by the District Attorney's office, which asserted that the complainant's untruthfulness made it impossible to credit her.[3][10]

At the time of the alleged attack, Strauss-Kahn was the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and considered to be a leading candidate for the 2012 French Presidency. Four days after his arrest, he voluntarily resigned his post at the IMF. There was widespread speculation in France after his arrest that he was the victim of a conspiracy.

Is this new chief concerned about low skilled female workers? Did she cleared her male subordinate who have same habit of Strauss-Kahn to lecture for Japanese society ???

Yes! Bingo! Imagine if people weren't robbed of 40% of their own earnings how much better off each and every person would be!

If that were true, then America would be a paradise.

The fact is, contributing a portion of your wealth to the greater good, benefits everyone. It's not like you pay for health insurance and are not allowed to use it. Everyone pays in, and everyone gets to use the roads, the hospitals etc.

Yes! Bingo! Imagine if people weren't robbed of 40% of their own earnings how much better off each and every person would be!

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Federal Income tax in USA ; Last year 45% after deductoon. Rich or Poor. Some states do not have State Income Tax nor Business tax but others have high State Income Tax. Next year, 55 %. Some people make more than billion dollars so they pay a lot more than people who only make less than 2 million dollars a year. So, movie stars and rich people move to the state that has no state income tax.

John GaltSep. 16, 2014 - 10:31PM JST

"Oh, I see you belong to one of these top 10% who do not want to give up one dime for others for equity."

Nope, not top 10‰(as Strangleland claims to be), but what I have I have earned honestly through my own endeavors, not from the loot robbed of others.

And many of my friends-once proclaimed to be millionaires are totally broke. They once lived in wine and roses. A humble man like me, once did not have too much, is retiring comfortably today. What's an irony!! Thanks to SSI, Medicare.

On oicture of day, Abe took picture with female ambassadors to Japan. Maybe Abe will promote female diplomats to appoint as Japan's diplomats?

In Japan ambassador posts are reserved for high ranking officials of The Foreign Minisry. I don't think there are many female high ranking officials there.

@tinawatanabeSEP. 17, 2014 - 05:46AM JST In Japan ambassador posts are reserved for high ranking officials of The Foreign Minisry. I don't think there are many female high ranking officials there.

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I agree with you. That kind of custom is why I could not write ambassador and just wrote dimplmat?

"If that were true, then America would be a paradise."

Yes!

"The fact is, contributing a portion of your wealth to the greater good, benefits everyone. It's not like you pay for health insurance and are not allowed to use it. Everyone pays in, and everyone gets to use the roads, the hospitals etc."

Are you not aware of the difference between voluntary contributions and tax extractions under threat of violence? Mind you, you're ignoring the multiple layers of non-productive bureaucracy that leech from the system(can you admit rampant waste, fraud, and abuse?) before one iota goes to the intended purpose? All of the collectivist excuses fall to the same simple economic facts: private enterprise always provides goods and services much more efficiently (and voluntarily) than any government boondoggles.

@global, I sincerely hope you don't plan to rely on SSI and Medicare for your future well-being. That's a path to destitution. Of course, governments love to keep the people dependent on handouts and inevitable rationing. Yes, that's what socialism/marxism(pure socialism) promises: shared, assured poverty and misery. Instead, develop your own income streams in tax-friendly jurisdictions.

John GaltSep. 17, 2014 - 07:10AM JST

@global, I sincerely hope you don't plan to rely on SSI and Medicare for your future well-being. That's a path to destitution. Of course, governments love to keep the people dependent on handouts and inevitable rationing. Yes, that's what socialism/marxism(pure socialism) promises: shared, assured poverty and misery. Instead, develop your own income streams in tax-friendly jurisdictions.

No need to worry. I am doing very well. I live in Japan for 3 months, live in CA and Colorado for the rest enjoying my retirement like a liberal son.

I hearsd that Foreign Ministry have female diplomats who speak at least 3 languages and woked since they passed foreign ministry employee tests. Japanese, English and some other countries. /they have been working longer years than many make diplomats. So, I change my mind. They could be excellent ambassador than only English is their foreign language Gaimu-kans. Promote them, this kind of employment situations must be called not utilizing women effectively.