Abe keeps allies in cabinet reshuffle; only 3 women ministers named

Oh well. He's going to sort out women's issues next year, then it'll all balance out. I'm sure businesses will heed his recent words about hiring more women anyway.

So, not only is he not living up to his promise of more and equal jobs for women, he's once again opted to appoint an extremely low level of them. That, and appointing well known right-wingers who land Japan in hot water with comments about Japan's wartime past. How much do you want to bet that his new "100 Million For Japan" job appointee is a vehement war atrocity denier?

The new education minister is a former professional wrestler once known as the "Viet Cong Express," that sounds promising and very international. I wonder if that will go up on his ministry bio?

First thing on the agenda is to put the teacher's union in a camel clutch and get them to tap out (of the classroom)? I wonder if he will ban chair shots to the head in Japanese classrooms?

How about appointing a woman to be in charge of increasing the participation of women in society? Or would that be too revolutionary??

Oh boy, oh boy he is going to stay for a while. The downside Japan isn't picked up economically since he took the power for second time. I don't know fellas....

I thought he said he was going to keep 4 women (remember the pic of the day?) last week.

Alistair: "I thought he said he was going to keep 4 women (remember the pic of the day?) last week."

It was an "Abe Promise". Don't forget he's vowed five times now to fix the economy, he'll have us all earning a lot more before long, is going to stabilize the population, increase fertility (ie. the birth rate), fix all social security problems, cure AIDS himself, empower women (while hiring less!), grow a giant beanstalk to get the nation out of debt, resolve all island disputes (when there are any!), get all the abductees back, and hook up the fountain of youth to the local water supply.

I forget the other fairy tales he's dreamed up and promised us with his magic (and invisible) bag of arrows.

Smithinjapan.

Yep, I'm well aware of his walk world stage, talk big, do little stance.

He forgot a half of Japanese voters are women, Unlike him. women know arithmetic such as 3 is less than 4

One TV station commentator branded Abe's new Cabinet a "nothing" cabinet. Then someone else called it Abe's "tomodachi" cabinet ... meaning his "personal friends" cabinet. Whatever. Anyway, doubt if many of these cabinet ministers will do anything of real value for the people of Japan. The government bureaucrats will continue to run the show ...

He kept three 'token' women! I also remember the article about keeping four women. I'm all for women being in politics and playing an active role in the parliamentary process of Japan, but in a male dominated 'cronies club' like the Japanese diet I feel the women are only there for show (and coffee), sadly. However, in saying this, I wish these women all the success and hope they are able to convey their ideals into the 'crony club'.

So for the "4 Women" article I said, "One to get the coffee, one to smile and nod, one to apologize whenever the boss is upset, and one who's pretty to look at."

So, now it's one to get the coffee, one who's pretty to look at, and one to smile nod, cuz Abe's Cabinet don't apologize for nuttin!

5!........... 4!........... 3!........... Womenomics are GO!

(or was it gone?)

Spot on @Educator. A really badly written article from Thomson Reuters, because the headline is 3 women ministers, but we are only told about one of the three women. What about the other two?!

Fortunately, Kyodo wrote a proper article on this. Here is their blurb:

Abe appointed Tamayo Marukawa, a TV newscaster-turned-politician, as environment minister and Aiko Shimajiri, chairwoman of the Upper House Environment Committee, as minister for Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs. Sanae Takaichi remained as minister of internal affairs and communications.

Their article was carried on the Japan Times website:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/10/07/national/politics-diplomacy/cabinet-reshuffle-abe-shifts-focus-economy-abe-retains-key-ministers/#.VhTyPrTYmTA

As for decreasing the number of female ministers from 4 to 3, I am sure there will be some lame excuse. Like you can't have 4 ministers, because the number 4 represents death. Or some nonsense like that. Not that the party mandarins and ministry bureaucrats abhor the idea of female ministers in any ministerial posts of consequence!

Japan Today Abe bashers hard at on this one. Wouldn't be satified if he elected all women, would say he's anti male or something stupid like that. Fact is two of the women he elected last time got in trouble so maybe he's being more careful about who he pick's ever think of that?

Goodbye, Mr. Shimomura. A former wrestler is hardly a better choice, though.

Abe needs to 'walk the walk' as well as 'talk the talk.'

@Educator60,

The photo and caption were for Marukawa, the Environment Minister.

I figured you had seen the info elsewhere. That was more for the rest of the readers. And to illustrate how to properly write an article.

@Pat Telzrow,

Japan Today Abe bashers hard at on this one. Wouldn't be satified if he elected all women, would say he's anti male or something stupid like that. Fact is two of the women he elected last time got in trouble so maybe he's being more careful about who he pick's ever think of that?

Of course we are hard at working bashing Abe. Because he is so bash-able. For good reason. Plus, as was highlighted, he went out publicly to the international community and said he would have 4 ministers. And he talked about the importance of women in management for companies. Etc. Etc. So, its just a matter of highlighting the inconsistencies in his words vs. his actions.

And, yes, 2 of his ministers got into trouble last time. Does anyone think that their being women did NOT have anything to do with the information regarding them being leaked to the press? No doubt by internal opponents, chauvinist bureaucrats and the like? As if all of the male ministers don't have any dirt that could get them into trouble?! Let's not forget that Miyawa, the just replaced Trade & Industry Minister, had some issues, but was not forced to resign. But the two females were. Hmmmm.....

Just rearranging the deck chairs.

Shuffling may raise approval ratings of the Abe Admin...among the weak minded.

Only 3? Disgusting, and pandering to the amakudari

two of the women he elected last time got in trouble

Abe's???

So Abe and company want 30% managers to be women by the 2020 Olympics. Then he staffs 3 of 19 cabinet members as women.

By math that's roughly 16%.

Do as I say, not as I do....

Shinzo Abe anagram:

A biz she? No! (punctuation my own)

Japan Today Abe bashers hard at on this one. Wouldn't be satified if he elected all women, would say he's anti male or something stupid like that. Fact is two of the women he elected last time got in trouble so maybe he's being more careful about who he pick's ever think of that?

Get with the program. If Abe chose to do so (appoint all women), the naysayers would simply dismiss it as window dressing.

Oh, stop being so critical you people! Three is the perfect number of women to serve tea attentively to the other 16 "real" cabinet members.

@harvey pekarOCT. 07, 2015 - 06:21PM JST So for the "4 Women" article I said, "One to get the coffee, one to smile and nod, one to apologize whenever the boss is upset, and one who's pretty to look at."

So, now it's one to get the coffee, one who's pretty to look at, and one to smile nod, cuz Abe's Cabinet don't apologize for nuttin!

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

you are thinking Japan before coffee pots were introduced. Don't you know coffee is not politicians' drink in Japan? Green tea bags, Japanese measure little bit of coffee and two or more sweetener bags, They never ask to pour coffee to avoid women pour coffee on their head, You are writing as if Japanese women are brainless women,

Remember he's pledged five times now to alter the economy, he'll have all of us gaining a great deal more after a short time, is going to settle the populace, build fruitfulness (ie. the conception rate), alter all government managed savings issues, cure AIDS himself, enable ladies (while contracting less!), grow a titan beanstalk to get the country out of obligation, resolve all island question (when there are any!), recover all the abductees, and attach the wellspring of youth to the nearby water supply. dailynewsaffair

Pro wrestlers and television anchorwomen are chosen to run the country? Its getting to be as bad as it is in America. Perhaps they'll make Hatsune Miku the minister of technology next.

He forgot a half of Japanese voters are women, Unlike him. women know arithmetic such as 3 is less than 4

Look, the sad truth is that female Japanese voters aren't really putting much political pressure on these clowns to shift the status quo. Again, as is the case on many issues that could do with a decent civil voice, the ladies sit passively by and either don't vote at all, or just accept the status quo.

Or, they make really mind bendingly exasperating decisions to vote for people like Toru Hashimoto because he 'Likes families'. Sadly, I'm quoting my sister in law.

“Society in Which All 100 Million People Can be Active”

“Society in Which All 100 Million People Can Survive” (with any luck...)

The new slogan, Abe aides say, is meant to show that all Japanese will be included in economic growth.

He surely means "All people who live in Japan and regardless of country of origin, age, gender, sexual orientation and social status."

right? right?????? Amirite???????