The other day, I wrote about how the Kumamoto City Council took steps to tighten, rather than relax, restrictions that make balancing childrearing and work difficult for female members:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1798732196866871
This YouTube video was recorded from a monitor that displayed, with sound, the proceedings of a committee meeting at which the new policy was discussed. Two points are worth noting: (1) No political constituency that was formally allowed to participate in the meeting, not even the left-wing Communist Party, objected to the crack down; (2) When Ms. Ogata, seated with her back to the camera raised her hand requesting to speak, no one voiced approval so she was not allowed to speak. She attended the meeting as an observer so she could not demand that she be allowed to speak but the committee could easily have granted her request to do so. I think their unwillingness to even listen to her speaks volumes about their attitude.
– Kirk
P.S. Please share if you feel so inclined. If enough people take an interest, it may help Ms. Ogata and others in their efforts to push the pendulum back in a more humane direction.
