Tamayo Marukawa, Japan’s new minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, has come under fire for joining a campaign against a selective dual surname system for married couples.
Gender equality is one of Olympic ideals, and Marukawa concurrently serves as minister for gender quality. A growing number of politicians across party lines are questioning her qualification for the ministerial posting.
Marukawa and conservative lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party have asked local assembly members in writing to prevent the adoption of petitions calling for a selective dual surname system. Such a system would lead to the collapse of a social system based on family units, the document said.
The document, dated Jan. 30, was endorsed jointly by 50 lawmakers from both chambers of parliament, including former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi and Keiji Furuya, the former chairman of the National Public Safety Commission.
According to sources, the document was sent to about 40 prefectural assembly heads affiliated with the LDP.
The joint request was made before Marukawa, an LDP lawmaker, assumed the post of Olympic and Paralympic minister on Feb. 18. But she told a news conference on Feb. 24 that she had signed the document in line with her personal beliefs.
After an opposition lawmaker urged her to create a system enabling married couples to use different surnames at a House of Representative committee meeting on the same day, Marukawa only said her role is to support an environment that allows people to hold in-depth discussions.
– Japan Times
Mar 01
Mar 01
Tamayo Marukawa, Japan’s new minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, has come under fire for joining a campaign against a selective dual surname system for married couples. (Japan Times)
Mar 01
Cesario, who won Grade 1 races on two continents and has the distinction of producing three stallion sons at stud in Japan, died at Northern Farm on Saturday aged 19. (racingpost.com)
Feb 28
Athletes participating in this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo can begin entering Japan after it lifts its emergency declaration order next month, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Friday.(Japan Today)
Feb 25
Japan’s Olympics minister said Wednesday that coronavirus vaccinations would not be a prerequisite for participation at this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics, despite a World Anti-Doping Agency appeal that athletes be inoculated. (Kyodo)
Feb 25
Roughly 1,000 volunteers who were to help out at this summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have quit in the wake of sexist comments by former organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori, the committee said Wednesday. (Kyodok)
Feb 24
Travel virtually anywhere in Japan and it won’t be long before you hear the distinctive cacophony of a pachinko parlour ringing out. (newsonjapan.com)
Feb 23
Mongolian-born yokozuna Hakuho on Monday spoke of his frustration at missing the January Grand Sumo Tournament after contracting the novel coronavirus, while remaining hopeful of a memorable return at the upcoming March meet.(Kyodo)
Feb 22
The Japan Sumo Association imposed the second most severe punishment on stablemaster Tokitsukaze on Monday, recommending he retire for violating coronavirus protocols when he made nonurgent, nonessential outings during a basho.(Kyodo)
Feb 20
Japan’s Naomi Osaka on Saturday defeated Jeniffer Brady 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open final as she continued her unbeaten streak to 21 matches (14 Grand Slam matches). (wionews.com)
Feb 19
Women’s tennis star Naomi Osaka on Thursday welcomed the appointment of former Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto as the new head of the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee in place of Yoshiro Mori, who resigned last week amid a storm of criticism over his sexist comments.(Kyodo)
Feb 18
Hashimoto Seiko has officially been chosen as the president of the Tokyo Games organizing committee. She stepped down from her cabinet position as Olympics Minister.(NHK)
Feb 18
Japanese tennis star Osaka Naomi has beaten Serena Williams in two straight sets to advance to the women’s singles final at the Australian Open.(NHK)
Feb 15
Over half of Japanese firms believe the Tokyo Olympic Games should be cancelled or postponed, a survey by think tank Tokyo Shoko Research showed on Monday, casting further doubt over the fate of the troubled Games. (Japan Today)
Feb 11
Yoshiro Mori on Thursday decided to step down as head of the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee amid a furor at home and abroad over his recent discriminatory comments about women, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)
Feb 09
Some 390 Olympic and Paralympic volunteers have decided to give up their roles in the wake of sexist remarks by Tokyo Games organizing committee chief Yoshiro Mori, the committee said Monday.(Japan Today)
Feb 09
Japanese tennis player Nishikori Kei has been defeated in the first round of the Australian Open.(NHK)
Feb 09
The Asian continent has experienced tremendous growth in Sports betting recently. (newsonjapan.com)
Feb 08
Women’s world No. 3 Naomi Osaka served up a tennis master class at the Australian Open on Wednesday with a 6-2, 6-3 second-round victory over Caroline Garcia of France in Melbourne.(Kyodo)
Feb 04
After igniting a social media backlash and catching international media attention, the head of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee is apologizing for controversial comments.(NHK)