Mio Washizu: Toward Realizing a Society Where Women Can Work Easily—Fukui Prefecture's Challenge

I would like to express my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that occurred on January 1, 2024, and my heartfelt sympathy to all those affected by the disaster. I sincerely pray for the safety of everyone in the disaster areas and for the earliest possible recovery and reconstruction of the affected regions.

In Fukui Prefecture, the percentage of dual-income households is 61.2% (2020 Census; the same source applies hereafter unless otherwise noted), ranking first in the nation and making it Japan's top dual-income society. The female employment rate is also 55.6%, ranking second nationwide, and the percentage of female regular employees is 54.6%, ranking sixth, indicating that a very large number of women are working. On the other hand, the percentage of women in managerial positions is 13.5%, which is the 7th worst in the country, showing that while many women work, they do not hold managerial positions within their organizations. Furthermore, according to a private survey asking women about their desire for promotion to management, while 33.3% answered that they want to become managers or would if recommended, only 25% answered that they thought it was possible for them to become one, which was lower than their level of ambition. Moreover, nearly 70% of respondents said they do not want to become managers, with the most common reason being that the burden of housework, childcare, and nursing care is greater compared to men.

For reference, according to the 2021 Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities, the "gender gap in housework and childcare time" was 2 hours and 10 minutes, which is relatively long nationwide (ranking 30th in the country when ordered from shortest to longest). Additionally, looking at the "gender gap in leisure time (time available for rest, hobbies, etc.)," the result showed the largest gap in the country. These data reveal a situation in Fukui Prefecture where the burden of housework and childcare is skewed toward women.

This situation has been supported by a traditionally high rate of three-generation cohabitation. While this is a common trend in the Hokuriku region, the three-generation cohabitation rate in Fukui Prefecture is 11.5%, more than double the national average. Furthermore, if we include those living nearby (within a 30-minute drive), nearly 60% of people are in a situation where they can receive daily support from relatives through cohabitation or proximity. While there is no doubt that this supports working women and serves as the underlying strength of Japan's top dual-income society, it is also thought to have influenced the background in which men's participation in childcare has not progressed.

I took office as the Vice Governor of Fukui Prefecture in August 2023, and I am the first woman to serve as Vice Governor in this prefecture, receiving a major mission as a promoter of "women's empowerment." However, since taking office, the words I often hear from women in the prefecture are things like, "Even if I'm told to be active, I can't do any more than this," or "I'm busy with both work and home." In this prefecture with a high female employment rate, I have come to feel that the essence of enabling women to live vibrantly and challenge themselves to do what they want without hesitation lies in creating a society that is easy to work in and where it is easy to balance work and family life.

By changing the current situation where both work and home are difficult into an environment where people can live with a real sense that work, home, and private life are all fulfilling and enjoyable, we can realize a society where each individual has the motivation to challenge themselves in various ways and play an active role. To achieve this, it is necessary to build a foundation that makes balancing these aspects easier.

The first key to building a foundation for balance is having a workplace that is easy to work in. It is important to reform the way people work in the workplace, establish flexible employment formats such as telecommuting, and increase diverse employment formats such as short-time regular employment, while simultaneously improving productivity. I want to strengthen incentives for companies to implement work-style reforms and provide hands-on support.

Furthermore, we must change the structure where the burden of housework and childcare is concentrated on women, not only in the workplace but also at home. For this reason, it is required to create an environment where housework and childcare themselves can be shared among various entities through various options such as sharing, labor-saving, and outsourcing. In our prefecture, where there are not as many private childcare services as in urban areas, providing support to increase these options is a major role required of the government. We are working to enhance measures to realize the "Fuku-iku Prefecture," the happiest prefecture for raising children in Japan.

On top of that, we will also promote initiatives that allow each individual to encounter diverse role models, cultivate their own desire to take on challenges, and improve their skills.

To move forward with these efforts, transformation is necessary in terms of changing existing methods and cultures. To achieve transformation, we will work persistently to recognize the existence of unconscious bias and to foster a momentum that promotes, for example, men's participation in housework and childcare.

A society where it is easy for women to work is surely easy for men to work in as well. I believe that seeing everyone, both men and women, being able to easily balance home and private life with work and vibrantly taking on challenges will bring a positive outlook for the next generation regarding living, working, and giving birth and raising children here. The Hokuriku Shinkansen will soon open in Fukui Prefecture. To ensure that the society of Fukui Prefecture seen beyond the opening is a society full of hope where everyone can work easily and achieve balance, I want to aim for its realization as "All Fukui," through repeated efforts in the workplace, at home, and in the community.