Health,Labour and Welfare Minister Hakuo Yangisawa is currently embroiled in controversy over a speech he gave on January 28th. He referred to women as "birthing machines" while speaking about the declining birthrate.
He is quoted as saying"The number of women aged between 15 and 50 is fixed.Because the number of birth giving machines and devices is fixed,all we can ask is for them to do their best."
Yangisawa immediately apologised and was admonished by Prime Minister Abe but has said he has no intention of resigning.
In later developments the Opposition parties boycotted the Diet Commitee debate on the supplementary bugdet in an attempt to get him removed.Some female Opposition lawmakers visited the Ministry and demanded his resignation.Others took to the streets and staged public rallies to call for his removal.
To quote Social Democrat Party Leader Mizuho Fukushima "Children are not tools for the nation,nor are women giving birth to children to secure revenue sources for pensions".
Monday, February 05, 2007
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