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News Archive |
LAST UPDATE
February 21, 2007
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| February 14, 2007 |
Be Our Valentine, and Resign! Peace Boat Protest Against Calling Women “Birth-Giving Machines” |
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| Peace Boat staff Morita Sachiko and her daughter Min present a valentines chocolate to a ministry representative |
On a day of roses and romance, Peace Boat sent a chocolate-laden message to Japanese Government Health Minister Yanagisawa that referring to women as birth-giving machines demands immediate resignation in exchange for forgiveness. Approximately 25 Peace Boat members gathered outside the Health, Labor and Welfare ministry to deliver a large chocolate heart with the message “Be Our Valentine, and Resign!” and a formal letter of protest to a ministry representative. |
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| Peace Boat staff with a message for Minister Yanagisawa. The protest event was well attended by Japanese and foreign media |
Minister Yanagisawa made the remark in a political meeting on January 27th, referring to the falling birth-rate of Japanese society. The Japanese government has taken many steps to encourage an increase in birth-rates, with only a lukewarm response at best from the Japanese public. It was a shock domestically and internationally that the person given prime responsibility for tackling this very serious problem facing the future of Japan would call women “birth-giving machines.” |
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Despite the public outcry, the Prime Minister of Japan, Taro Aso, gave only a mild rebuke to Minister Yanagisawa, and expressed his full confidence in the minister’s ability to carry out is job. With a strong representation of young families within the Peace Boat organization, it is strongly expressed that responsibility of dealing with Japan’s problem of a declining birthrate must be handed over to a more capable and appropriate minister. |
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