Search Results: sexual harassment

Kanji Kato, an MP from Japan's governing party the LDP, made this assertion at a party meeting, saying that young Japanese women should have more children- at least three- or face being a burden on the state. Last year, the percentage of children in Japan fell to its lowest level since records began more than 100 years ago. Financial and other incentives to encourage bigger families have had little impact. Mr Kato said that when he gives wedding speeches he tells the bride and bridegroom to produce at least three children. "We need three or more children from those people to make up for couples who cannot bear a child no matter what they do," he said.

The 72-year-old father-of-six also said that whenever he meets a woman who doesn't intend to marry, he tells her that she will end up in a care home paid for by taxes from other people's children. Several female MPs have complained the speech was sexist; with one female MP at the party meeting reportedly standing up to interrupt his speech with the remark "This is exactly sexual harassment!" Mr Kato reportedly initially said that he had no intention of retracting his remark, saying that boosting the birth rate was the "most important issue facing our nation". But he's since issued a statement saying: "I apologise if my words gave the wrong impression. Although I never intended to discriminate against women, I retract the remarks I made because they could have been interpreted as such."

So, what do you think? Do you agree with Kato? And if so, just in the case of Japan, or in the case of other nations as well? And if not, then why not?