In Japan, call to ban women marrying after 25 stirs backlash
Naoki Hyakuta, founder of the Conservative Party of Japan, also angered many when he proposed uterus removal for women at the age of 30
Naoki Hyakuta, a writer and founder of the Conservative Party of Japan, also said that women should not be permitted to attend university from the age of 18, apparently so they could focus their efforts on producing more babies.
Hyakuta’s comments on his YouTube channel on Friday provoked an immediate and strong response, with the outspoken politician apologising during a speech in Nagoya on Sunday, claiming that the comments were just “a hypothetical idea” and that he did not personally support the ideas.
Can Japan have an empress? Conservatives slam UN call to amend succession law
Critics argue that the UN panel’s call undermines Japan’s national identity, sparking a fierce debate on gender equality and tradition
The report calling for Japan to amend its Imperial Household Law, which currently restricts succession to male descendants from the paternal line, was released by the Paris-based UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women released on Tuesday last week.
The committee declared that the law is “contrary to the object and purpose” of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, to which Japan is a signatory.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi quickly voiced the government’s discontent, stating that it was “extremely regrettable” for the UN to reference the Imperial Household Law, which he described as “inappropriate” given its deep ties to Japan’s national identity.
An official protest had been filed with the UN agency, Hayashi said.
