‘Traitors’: female lawmakers in Japan face maternity harassment

While allowing female employees to take maternity leave is becoming increasingly the norm in Japan’s private sector, women in politics can still face a storm of criticism even for getting pregnant.

On July 12, independent House of Representatives lawmaker Takako Suzuki, 31, announced on her official blog that she was pregnant with her first child, writing: “On this occasion, I have been blessed with the gift of a new life.”

She went on to say she felt “very conflicted” since she had been prescribed bed rest by her doctor due to the risk of a premature birth. This meant, she said, that she would have to limit, though not altogether cease, her political activities.

Although Suzuki was sent a number of messages of congratulation and encouragement, she also received a torrent of criticism in her comments section. “I have doubts about you getting pregnant while you are still serving in office,” one person wrote. “You should quit for the time being,” remarked another, while someone else wrote, “This is why female lawmakers are a problem ...”

Suzuki responded in a post that she found the notion that because she is pregnant she is somehow “abandoning her duties” as a representative of the people unacceptable. She added that she is ready to vigorously pursue her activities after giving birth.