Women protest against ministers' contempt for women

Women Dietmembers and public figures from various fields on August 28 issued their first joint appeal in protest against politicians' insults to women and contemps for human rights.

The number of supporters of the appeal has reached 210, including Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ishii Ikuko, YWCA of Japan President Aoki Eiko, and 15 Dietmembers from the Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party.

The appeal denounced remarks made by Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers for disdaining women and by cabinet members for lacking a comprehension of human rights, and called for their resignations or dismissals.

Inappropriate remarks are as follows:

Ota Seiichi, LDP member of the Lower House, said, "Gang rape shows the people who do it are vigorous. I think that they might be close to normal."

Mori Yoshiro, former prime minister said, "It is really absurd for women not having any children to get help through taxpayers' money when they grow old."

Fukuda Yasuo, government spokesman said, "Some women seem to be asking for it, don't they? Those women with a provocative appearance are at fault because men are black panthers."

Konoike Yoshitada, disaster management minister said, "The mass media should show the faces of the criminal's parents. It is best to have the parents decapitated as punishment after dragging them on display around town." (end)