‘FIELD TRIP’

Japan’s Ruling Party Invites Women to Board Meetings, but Says They Can’t Talk

Following criticism that the party’s board is too male-dominated, a plan has been put forward to allow women into the meetings—if they stay quiet.

Powerful old men in Japan are not having a good February. A week after Yoshiro Mori, the head of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic organizing committee, resigned in disgrace after complaining that women talk too much at meetings, a top official in Japan’s ruling political party has made an equally monumental error of judgment. Following criticism that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s board is too male-dominated, a plan has been put forward to allow five women into the meetings—on the condition that they remain silent for the entire duration. Toshihiro Nikai, the party’s 82-year-old secretary general, said Tuesday that it’s important for the party’s female members to “look” at the party’s decision-making process, but the female observers won’t be allowed to speak during the meetings. They will, however, be allowed to submit written opinions afterwards. Opposition lawmakers mocked the idea as a “field trip” for the women.