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2022 November 30 - December 6 TOP3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Parliamentary vice minister reluctantly retracts past discriminatory remarks

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

Sugita Mio, the parliamentary vice minister for internal affairs who often comes under fire for her discriminatory remarks on ethnic and sexual minorities, at a House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting on December 2 said that she will retract some of her past remarks and offer an apology.

The remarks to be withdrawn are: the blog post in which she said Korean residents living in Japan and Ainu indigenous people in ethnic costume who took part in the 2016 UN conference on the elimination of discrimination against women "are middle-aged women cosplayers and they totally have a problem with their dignity" and the article she contributed to a monthly magazine in 2018 in which she stated that LGBTQ people are "not productive because they cannot produce children".

Sugita has long refused to issue an apology and retraction. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio pardoned her and promoted her to an important government position.

It is said that she retracted part of her past remarks only because the government wants to fend off public criticism and opposition party questioning.

In 2020, Sugita in regard to victims of sexual violence said, "Women can easily tell lies." By saying this, she insulted victims and trampled on their dignity. In October 2022, she was ordered by the Tokyo District Court to pay compensation for tapping "like" on tweets slandering Ito Shiori, a journalist who is a rape victim.

Sugita does not show any sign of remorse over her discriminatory remarks.

Past related articles:
> LDP Sugita refuses to retract her remark insulting sexual assault victims [October 2, 2020]
> Rape victim wins in court, giving boost to '#Me Too' movement [December 19, 2019]
> LGBT communities protest against LDP lawmaker’s ‘unproductive’ remark [ July 25, 2018]