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On November 6, a two-day meeting of the “Network Forum for Female Politicians” (provisional translation), which includes a general meeting and study sessions, was launched at a Tokyo venue. The Network Forum for Female Politicians is a group formed by female DPJ lawmakers elected at the local level. This time 150 people took part in the gathering. On November 6, Minister of Health, Welfare and Labour, Yoko Komiyama gave a speech entitled “A philosophy and policies for a society that supports child-rearing” and a lecture was delivered by a gender equality specialist from the Cabinet Secretariat, which dealt with the theme of “Women and Disaster” by looking at the support provided for disaster survivors after the Great East Japan Earthquake from the point of view of gender equality. This was followed by a lively discussion. The meeting was scheduled to end in the morning of November 7, after an appeal and policy proposals had been adopted.
Kumiko Hayashi, Chair of the DPJ Gender Equality Department, a subsection of the party’s National Campaign and Rallying Committee, who had provided organizational support for the meeting, said, “It is more than two years since the DPJ government was formed. We have caused a great deal of trouble and worry to those of you working hard in positions close to the general public. However, Yoko Komiyama has become the first female Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare, and is working to realise the very child and child-rearing policies that the DPJ has been promoting. That is one result of the engagement by the Network Forum for Female Politicians.” Hayashi went on to introduce policy developments including a new child and child-rearing system that is due to be introduced in 2013 and that focuses on the unification of kindergartens and day-care facilities. She stressed, “No other administration up until now has made such a huge investment in our children. It is an important step forward and so I would like to ask for understanding and support for the new system from the regions.”
Deputy Secretary General Koriki Jojima attended the informal gathering at the end of the first day of the meeting. He mentioned the efforts he had made when he was involved in inter-party policies talks between the ruling and opposition parties during his time as Deputy Chair of the Policy Research Committee, and commented, “I would like us to liaise with female members of local assemblies around the nation.”
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