Tokyo College Event “Envisioning a far more female future of Japan” by Mr. Bill Emmott - 東京カレッジ

Tokyo College Event “Envisioning a far more female future of Japan” by Mr. Bill Emmott

When:
2019.05.15 @ 13:30 – 15:30
2019-05-15T13:30:00+09:00
2019-05-15T15:30:00+09:00
Tokyo College Event “Envisioning a far more female future of Japan” by Mr. Bill Emmott

Former editor-in-chief of The Economist Bill Emmott’s lecture on “Envisioning a More Female Future of Japan”

On May 15, 2019, Mr. Bill Emmott took the stage for a lecture on “Envisioning a More Female Future of Japan” in what must be commemorated as the first public lecture at Tokyo College. Mr. Emmott, who is active as an international journalist and is a former chief editor of The Economist, analyzed the path taken by Japan up to this point and considered its future, on the basis of his own experience from living in Japan and obtained through interviews. He then participated in a dialogue with Professor Sawako Shirahase (Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo)

First, Professor Masashi Haneda (College Director) introduced the purpose of Tokyo College, newly established by the University of Tokyo in February 2019, and of the lecture. Tokyo College was established in order to tackle a range of challenges that are difficult for traditional universities, as a space to consider and search for an ideal future for the planet and humanity in an interdisciplinary manner with motivated persons from around the world. Mr. Emmott will be a Fellow of Tokyo College for the next five years.

 

Changes during the 30-year Heisei era, the present, and the future

Mr. Emmott summarized changes that took place in Japan in the last 30 years as the following six items: (1) a declining birthrate and aging population; (2) the collapse of the bubble economy; (3) changes to the “composition of economic activity;” (4) a decline in “the rate of marriage;” (5) an increase in the number of women wanting to attend four-year colleges; and (6) an increase to the labor force participation rate of women. He said that these changes have led to the formation of a society in which many people feel more financially insecure than before, even though the unemployment rate is extraordinarily low. Nowadays in Japan, a new generation of women who have graduated from university (in their 20s, 30s, or 40s) is working in various organizations, but there is a labor shortage. Predicting that women will play a central role in Japan’s future, Mr. Emmott stated that how Japan develops and uses this human capital is the key issue for how well the economy proceeds in the future and that “humanomics,” rather than womenomics, is the central issue. Further, he explained that the three elements of “humanomics” are: (1) women should contribute more to Japan’s wealth and living standards; (2) the development of an increased mutual commitment between employer and employee (for both men and women); and (3) dealing with issues such as stress and karōshi (death from overwork).

Mr. Emmott expressed concern about the fact that Japan is far behind other developed countries in terms of gender equality, especially in the fields of politics and medicine. As specific countermeasures, he referred to two connected systems: the labor contract law, and taxation for married couples. Last year, Prime Minister Abe said that he would abolish the term “non-regular.” However, Mr. Emmott stated that, “The 2018 law, like its predecessor reforms, does not go far enough towards providing greater security for employees on contracts that are not permanent. What is needed is greater clarity in law for the terms of contracts that include pre-agreed severance payments and allow pension rights to become portable.” Focusing on the fact that there are many women who are unable to get out of part-time or similar forms employment at low wages, under the current tax and social security systems, Mr. Emmott predicted that, “Abolition of the spousal deduction, really a marriage tax, would also help greatly… If we see either of those reforms happen in the coming years, we should then become a lot more optimistic.”

 

Discussion

After the lecture, a discussion was held between Mr. Emmott and Professor Sawako Shirahase (Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo), an expert in social stratification, social demography, and change in family and social systems. Professor Shirahase first explained the basic structure of gender disparity observed in Japan and the University of Tokyo, respectively, at present. She also remarked that the University of Tokyo has become a member of the 30% Club Japan* in order to reduce the gender disparity. The dialogue looked at a range of topics such as specific measures to improve conditions, and options for marriage, based on examples from England, France, and elsewhere.

In a discussion of how to convince middle-aged men (who have benefitted the most until now) when introducing practical change, Mr. Emmott mentioned that it is important for them to realize that companies must ultimately adopt gender equality in order to pay their pensions properly. Professor Shirahase also stated that it will take time to achieve diversity and gender equality, and asked how costs should be paid in that period. Mr. Emmott responded that it is dangerous to adhere to short-term thinking and continuity that has been meritorious in the past, and that it is necessary to realize that it is possible that there will be a decline in the availability of young talent compared to the past, and that more diverse talent will be required.

 

※30%Club Japan
https://30percentclub.org/about/chapters/japan

Finished
Date(s) May 15th (Wed), 2019, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Venue

Koshiba Hall, The University of Tokyo (Hongo Campus)

Registration Pre-registration required (150 seats available -First come, first served)
Language English and Japanese(Simultaneous translation available)
Organized by Tokyo College, The University of Tokyo
Contact tcevent@graffiti97.co.jp

Upcoming Events

Ecosophy: Multiple Perspectives and Its Roles in Planetary Health (Lecture by Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Zaini Ujang)

イベント予定講演会/Lecture

Friday, 11 July, 10:30–12:00 JST

Achieving planetary health requires not only scientific solutions but also fundamental cultural and behavioral transformations. This lecture will present a comprehensive approach that addresses both individual values and social systems. Through examples from Japan and Scandinavia, it emphasizes the importance of integrating eco-sophy—ecological philosophy—into policy and societal frameworks. Furthermore, it highlights the crucial roles of non-state actors, including NGOs and academic institutions involved in the water and energy sectors, alongside governments, in addressing climate change challenges.

Envisioning the Japan–Korea Intellectual Community (Lecture by Prof. YANG Ilmo)

イベント予定講演会/Lecture

Wednesday, 16 July, 15:00–16:30 JST

Since the Edo period, intellectual exchange between Japan and Korea has continued in a sustained manner. Despite the colonial rule in the 20th century, intellectual interactions became even more active. This lecture revisits several cases of such exchange between Japanese and Korean intellectuals, such as Fujiwara Seika and Gang Hang, Yamazaki Ansai and Yi Hwang, the Kogaku school and Jeong Yakyong, and Fukuzawa Yukichi and Yu Giljun, to explore the potential for a future Japan-Korea intellectual community. While past attempts to make an East Asian community have often faced the “East Asian paradox”, namely, the reinforcement of nationalism, this lecture is also an attempt to seek clues for overcoming such challenges.

A Sensory Theory of Environmental Justice (Lecture by Prof. Mukul SHARMA)

イベント予定講演会/Lecture

Wednesday, 23 July, 15:00–16:30 JST

Human senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—shape how we perceive and interact with the world, influencing environmental experiences and cultural practices. Yet sensory politics—the social organization of touch, smell, and taste—often reinforces hierarchies, marginalizing certain groups as environmental ‘others.’ This lecture examines the ‘environmentality’ of the senses, focusing on their role in perpetuating inequalities within discriminatory social structures. By interrogating how sensory norms sustain injustice, I argue for a new environmental justice vocabulary—one that integrates sensory and social dimensions to address the entangled relationships between environment, power, and lived experience in caste-based societies.

Coffee, Sustainability and Climate Change (Lecture by Prof. Catherine TUCKER)

イベント予定講演会/Lecture

Wednesday, 30 July, 15:00–16:30 JST

Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages, associated with sociality, alertness, and productivity. Over time, coffee production has contributed to environmental degradation, rural poverty, and societal inequities. Currently, its production is threatened by climate change, market volatility and economic uncertainties. Drawing on longitudinal research with coffee producers in Central America, this talk will examine coffee producers’ efforts to improve their coffee quality, socioeconomic well-being, and environmental sustainability in contexts of extreme weather events and myriad insecurities. The discussion also will consider consumer roles, the impacts of certifications, and approaches for supporting climate resilient coffee production.

Previous Events

Discourses about Environment and Nature in the Hebrew Bible (Lecture by Prof. Thomas RÖMER)

イベント予定講演会/Lecture

Thursday, 22 May, 13:00–14:30 JST

This lecture will argue that the Hebrew Bible contains different views on nature and the environment, especially in relation to the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and its capital Jerusalem in 587 BCE. This event triggered different discourses of crisis management that will be analyzed with the help of a German sociologist Armin Steil who distinguishes three attitudes toward crisis also found in the Hebrew Bible: 1) The prophetic attitude: belief that crisis will lead to a new creation with harmony between humans, nature, and animals; 2) The mandarin attitude: view of disasters as divine punishment without much interest in the environment; and 3) The priestly attitude: construction of a mythic past that offers rituals for the present with interest in the place of humans in their environment. The last discourse offers an important reflection about a possible harmony between all beings.

Beyond World Literature (Lecture by Prof. Wiliam MARX)

イベント予定講演会/Lecture

Thursday, 8 May, 10:30–12:00 JST

World literature has been a reality since at least the nineteenth century. Texts travel across continents and cultures, translated from every language, taught in universities worldwide, and forming an emerging global canon. Never before have we been so free to read whatever we wish, from anywhere. Or so it seems. But is this true freedom, or merely a comforting illusion? What are the boundaries of this seemingly limitless literary exchange? This talk aims to explore those limits and propose a new approach to literature—a different way of reading texts, one that is either entirely new or, perhaps, simply old and forgotten. Welcome to the world library!

Equal Rights, Unequal Reality: Law and Gender Equality in Japan (Lecture by Prof. Frank UPHAM)

イベント予定講演会/Lecture

Wednesday, May 7, 2025 10:30-12:00 JST

Japan outlaws gender discrimination in virtually the same terms as every equivalent country and yet it ranks 118th out of 146 countries, 111 notches below Germany, 103 below the US. Why? Is it that Japanese culture demands women remain meekly at home? If so, why do women graduate from universities at a higher rate than men? Why do they participate in the work force at a high rate? Why do they bring – and win - employment discrimination suits? This lecture will explore these questions and offer tentative – extremely tentative – observations on the reasons.

Designing and Scaling up Nature-based Markets (Lecture by Prof. Beatrice WEDER DI MAURO)

イベント予定講演会/Lecture

Wednesday, April 23, 2025 15:00-16:30 JST

Carbon and nature markets are struggling with low trust, high costs, and limited scale—falling far short of what’s needed. In this lecture, Professor Weder di Mauro presents a new market design co-developed with Estelle Cantillon and Eric F. Lambin. Jurisdictions offer large-scale projects; investors buy shares that yield carbon and biodiversity “dividends” without conferring land ownership. Market prices reveal demand and support liquidity. Compared to credit-based systems, this approach cuts costs, boosts credibility, and supports long-term commitments. It tackles the core problems holding back today’s markets—and offers a credible path to scale with real environmental impact.

The Meaning and Implications of Being a “Visitor-Centered” Museum (Lecture by Prof. Leslie BEDFORD)

イベント予定講演会/Lecture

Tuesday, 22 April, 14:30–16:00 JST

From "Being about Something to Being for Somebody" is the memorable title of Stephen Weil's contribution to the 1999 Daedalus volume on American Museums. Though decades old and not without challenges, the phrase continues to resonate within the museum field. In many ways it encapsulates the ways in which institutions have changed from privileging curator-defined information and institution-defined goals to promoting the visitor's experience and the broader community.
In her talk, Leslie Bedford, a longtime museum practitioner and professor of museum studies, will explore the meaning of Weil's phrase and how it has been implemented by museums, including those she has visited in Japan. Her talk will include a discussion of the online conversations she is facilitating with Japanese museum professionals and academics. And finally, she will raise the question of what "visitor centered" can mean today and in the future.


TOP