宮川大使の日本同窓会・研究者会合2021における生活の質とジェンダー問題に関するオープニングスピーチ

   Dr. Naoto YOSHIKAWA, Vice Chancellor of Tokai University,
   Dr. Tadaharu TSUMOTO, Director, Japan Society for Promotion of Science, Stockholm Office,
   Distinguished panelists, ladies and gentlemen,

   Good morning from Copenhagen. It is my great pleasure to see you at the opening of Japan Alumni and Researcher Assembly 2021.

   I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Tokai University and JSPS for their continuous contributions to this assembly. I remember that JARA was held on 6th March last year, and on the same day, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the strict preventative measures against COVID-19.

   Before our distinguished panelists will enlighten us, allow me to say a few words on today’s topic, “Quality of Life and Gender Issues”.
   Does anyone know when and to which country the very first female Ambassador of Japan was assigned? It was in 1980 when Ms Nobuko Takahashi assumed the post of Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Upon completing her mission here for 3 and half years, she wrote a memoir on her life and work in this country. On the status of women, she praised the record of empowerment of women in Denmark, saying that women occupied a quarter of the members of parliament, and 4 ministers out of 21. She went on to say that these were excellent figures, however, Danish people insisted that it was not enough.
   In hindsight, if we look at the Danish parliament and PM Mette Frederiksen’s cabinet, Ambassador Takahashi was right in predicting the higher level of ambition of the Danish people 40 years ago already.

   Last autumn, I had the honor to receive two Japanese ladies at the Embassy of Japan. Mrs. Takako Bundgaard and Mrs. Natsuyo Brandt told me their wonderful experiences to live and work in Denmark for half a century. Both of them have bridged Japan and Denmark through their professions to communicate and coordinate people-to-people exchanges between our countries. In their co-authored book, they point out the need for Japan to make the maximum use of women’s power to address the challenges of decline of its population.

   I fully agree with this point. That was one of the main reasons why Japan launched in 2014 the World Assembly for Women (WAW!), cultivating the power of women in many areas and further strengthening cooperation with the international community to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality. Then-PM ABE vigorously promoted this movement and hosted the Assembly for five times during his tenure.

   The world is now going through the COVID-19 challenges. In December last year, Mr. UTO, State Minister for Foreign Affairs attended the virtual Ministerial Roundtable held jointly by Denmark and UN Women. He stated that this pandemic heavily and negatively impacted on women and girls, and Japan with UN Women supported women marginalized by COVID-19 crisis in developing countries based on the concept of human security in which all life and dignity should be respected. For example, in Kenya which Foreign Minister MOTEGI visited January this year, Japan has distributed facial masks and reached 10,000 people through awareness raising on gender-based violence and COVID-19 prevention.

   Without doubt, gender-equal society certainly enhances quality of life. Japan’s ongoing domestic efforts to implement policies and enact laws to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality will go hand in hand with such diplomatic initiatives.

   Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that JARA this year will enrich the strategic partnership between Japan and Denmark through the discussion on quality of life and gender issues.

   Mange tak!