Vice Gov. Leading Women’s Empowerment in Scandal-Mired Fukui

Fukui, March 7 (Jiji Press)–Mio Washizu, deputy governor of Fukui Prefecture, is leading efforts to promote women’s participation in society as the central Japan prefecture seeks to reform itself in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal involving the former governor. Washizu, 45, who lives with two elementary school-age daughters in Fukui while her husband lives in Tokyo, said that she is able to balance work, housework and childcare by not seeking to manage everything on her own, instead relying on the support of those around her and the systems available. The deputy governor was tasked with holding a press conference to apologize for the harassment scandal, after the prefectural government confirmed in January some 1,000 messages deemed to constitute sexual harassment, as well as three cases of physical harm, by the former governor. Last month, the Fukui government submitted to the prefectural assembly a draft harassment prevention ordinance that would also cover such special positions as governors. “I am frustrated that we could not prevent (the harassment,)” Washizu said. “We will work continuously on this issue while listening to the voices of employees so that this never occurs again,” she continued. “I will do my best to make (the prefectural government) Japan’s most comfortable organization to work in.” Washizu, originally an internal affairs ministry official, was posted to the Fukui prefectural government in April 2022 to serve as head of its general affairs department. She decided to move to Fukui with her children after being drawn to life in a regional area, despite feeling uneasy about the heavy burden of housework and childcare falling solely on her as she had shared the tasks with her husband while in Tokyo. She became deputy governor in August 2023. On weekdays, Washizu leaves work on time to pick up her third-grade and sixth-grade daughters, and makes dinner for them before checking their homework and preparations for the following day. When working overtime or on holidays, she relies on the prefectural government’s babysitter dispatch system, her parents and her husband. She makes sure to engage in “multilayered risk hedging” by building interpersonal relations between her daughters and their babysitters, fellow working mothers and neighbors. The deputy governor said that her living environment and the understanding of her workplace are also important. She has her coworkers avoid giving her work in early mornings and nights as much as possible, while making considerations for their circumstances. As head of the Fukui government’s general affairs department, she introduced remote working, which she uses whenever her daughters become ill. She lives just 10 minutes from her workplace, enabling her to attend parents’ day events at her daughters’ school during work breaks. When Washizu is overwhelmed by household chores, she uses cleaning services, orders food delivery, eats out and bathes at “sento” public bathhouses. “It’s important to cut corners when possible,” she said. “I’m good at slacking off and playing.” She makes a point of saying in front of her children that she is tired or that she finds things troublesome. Despite occasional mistakes, such as forgetting what her children told her, she believes that “showing the sloppy side of oneself makes it easier for kids to express their true feelings.” “I was able to create memories for my children that cannot be obtained in the city, such as of pure white snow and rural scenery,” she said. When Washizu joined the internal affairs ministry, working overtime was a prerequisite and she felt that being able to deal with unexpected situations was a factor in personnel decisions. She experienced firsthand a disparity with her male colleagues after she gave birth and her working hours became limited. Meanwhile, the city government of Saitama, north of Tokyo, and the Fukui prefectural government, where she was posted, evaluated people on their achievements rather than the length of working hours. Changes in social values about work-life balance also worked to her advantage. “I consider balancing work and home my individuality and strength,” she said. “Society will change through women’s participation in corporate and regional decision-making as well as dialogue while respecting each other’s opinions and values,” Washizu said. “The first step to changing society is to enjoy being yourself.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]