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Shinjiro Koizumi, the young and ultra-popular Minister of the Environment, became a father for the first time on Friday, and has decided to take fifteen days off work to care for his child. Never seen.
With our correspondent in Tokyo, Bruno Duval
In Japan, since this weekend, a minister in office, Shinjiro Koizumi is on paternity leave. A completely exceptional event in the Japanese political class. In Japan, only 6% of men take paternity leave when their child is born. Because being absent from work is frowned upon: it is assimilated to a lack of dedication to one's employer.
Not to mention that, in this society which is still very patriarchal, raising children is considered the task of women, not that of men.
A controversial initiative
So it is a sensation that the most prominent minister in the government is going against custom. Many applaud his choice. " There are more and more couples in which both parents work, so it seems normal to me that men participate in the education of children, " reacts a Japanese woman. “ Very few men, unfortunately, take paternity leave. I support Minister Koizumi's decision, and I hope it will be emulated in this country, ”said another.
But not everyone agrees. “ He will telecommute while on leave. It is the least of things, “says for example this man. " Frankly, rather than nursery, he should do the job for which he is paid handsomely, namely to serve the country, " says another.
Attendance required at the Council of Ministers
Shinjiro Koizumi explained that he would not take two consecutive weeks, work from home, work shorter days so as to add up to fifteen days of leave devoted to his child.
The conservative wing of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's party, which is very straddling traditions, criticizes the Minister of the Environment. But as he is very popular, the head of government did not dare to oppose his choice. However, he obliged him to attend all the Council of Ministers during his leave, and not to miss a single sitting of Parliament.
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