Japan's 'Princess Corps' cracks the glass ceiling
By Catherine Makino
TOKYO - Kuniko Tanioka is the woman to watch in Japanese politics.
From the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), she managed the campaigns of its
women candidates, dubbed the Princess Corps, in last month's elections to the
Diet (Lower House). They won a record 54 seats.
Elected in 2007 to the House of Councilors (Upper House) for the first time,
Tanioka is a native of Osaka prefecture and a graduate from the University of
Toronto with a doctorate in design.
She says United States President Barack Obama's inaugural
speech inspired and spurred her to become more involved in changing the world.
Tanioka spoke openly and frankly with Inter Press Service correspondent
Catherine Makino about the role women played in the recent election, their
future and her hopes for the DPJ.
Inter Press Service: A lot of women candidates say the media is
biased against women, especially first timers to the political system.
Kuniko Tanioka: The media doesn't differentiate between women in
politics and movie stars. They are in the same corner with entertainers rather
than politicians.
They are asked if they cook or not, do they go to the supermarket, what kind of
food they buy, what did they make for breakfast - it's more like gossip.
IPS: How can they overcome this?
KT: We overcome it very patiently. Period. Japanese women are
known for their endurance.
IPS: What's the trick to enduring it?
KT: If you don't react harshly, they will praise you. You have to
have a sensible attitude, act cool. It's a game. Don't ever show you are
offended. You have to train the muscles of your face, so that you can use them
according to the situation. It's a theatrical thing.
IPS: Japanese candidates must have thick skin.
KT: If you don't have that kind of nerve you shouldn't run for
office.
IPS: Is it easier for the younger generation?
KT: Yes, there are many cracks in the glass ceiling today,
because our generation and the one before mine hammered it a lot.
Last year the DPJ women senators formed a group, which the party asked us to
do, to assist women candidates for this election in order to encourage and
facilitate them to endure this entire process.
IPS: Why did the party decide to bring in women candidates?
KT: It was easy for the DPJ to win the men's vote in the 2007
elections. But we weren't gaining a lot of votes from rural Japan and the DPJ
was a very male-orientated party - women didn't vote for it. Our party leader,
[Ichiro] Ozawa, wanted to overcome those two weaknesses by putting women in
those areas.
He noticed people were sick and tired of the old boys’ club and their attitude.
He needed a clear contrast to rumors of LDP corruption, bureaucracy and dirty
money.
IPS: And women would be that contrast?
KT: Yes, they have a cleaner image and women gained many seats in
the 2007 upper house elections.
Ozawa was experimenting in the 2007 election. In fact, at that time a woman
candidate won over an ex-minister in Okayama - a cute woman fighting a big
monster and the Japanese people liked that ideal.
IPS: In other words, it was an image that people liked.
KT: It was like a samurai princess fighting a big lord. In spite
of being a woman, she was so brave to fight against this big evil thing.
IPS: How did the DPJ select the women candidates for the recent
elections?
KT: They selected the women for their intelligence and looks -
they looked clean so they also appealed to women voters who don't like a lot of
make-up. 2007 was the experiment for 2009 to turn over the election.
IPS: How did you coach them?
KT: My way was to make them understand the basic logic. For
example, women candidates are very lonely because the election is a male thing.
It's a battlefield and you are totally in a man's culture when you're running
as a candidate. Most don't understand your problems, family responsibilities -
we give advice and encouragement.
IPS: Now that women helped the DPJ win the election, will the new
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama put women in as ministers?
KT: He will appoint women to the ministry but not as major
ministers.
IPS: How come?
KT: Because we are not ready yet; only recently the DPJ has tried
hard to get women candidates and many of them are still newcomers. Wait a few
years and you'll see a lot more in high positions.
IPS: How about you?
KT: Could be - maybe you'll see women now as minister of
environment, family rearing, consumer agency or maybe pension planning.
IPS: What would you like to tell our readers about the DPJ?
KT: Japanese politics used to be for a limited group of people
and DPJ is trying hard to diversify - having more women in the battlefield and
people with diverse backgrounds. Change occurs only when the actors change.
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