Japan at the Crossroads, You and Me at the Crossroads
What kind of country is Japan in the world? Is Japan being of use and support
to other nations of the world? Are the people of the world looking down
on Japan or respecting Japan? What are their expectations towards the future
of Japan?
When it comes to the overall protection of the environment, Japan is 62
out of 142 nations. When talking of her contributions to the global environment,
number 118. And when it comes to efforts to reduce negative human impact
on the environment, number 133. This was the picture of Japan painted at
the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in New York, 2002. To me,
this very starkly displays how Japan today, in many different fields, has
come to the end of the road.
Why did Japan become such a country? Will Japan continue to slide down
the hill turning into a country with little hope for the future? "
We don't need the Japanese on the face of this Earth; people who are utterly
selfish and show no true concern for the world's major problems while living
a life in luxury, using up the Earth's resources at 50 to 100 times the
space of people in the developing world " Do we Japanese really wish
to be seen in this way by the peoples of other countries?
- We must clarify the reasons why Japan turned into this kind of country
and make sure we know the root of our problems.
- We must nurture strong leaders who can help pull Japan out of its present
malaise in which no one is in charge, no one takes responsibility.
- We must now turn our attention to the human resource which today is not
being put to its full usem| the women of Japan whose talents, sensitivity,
and energy have been virtually ignored in society. It is important to foster
women with strong leadership who can stand on their own, and who take both
the perspective of a Japanese and a global citizen.
- We must use the talents, power, energy and sensitivity of Japan's women
to turn this country into one that is respected by the world and has a
true raison d'etre.
With such goals and purposes, this Society for Women's Education and Leadership
was started its activities in January, 2002.
The beginning dates back 116 years to the time when Japan was just about
to join the countries of the modern world. Eiichi Shibusawa, Hirobumi Itoh
and other then prominent leaders, total 179 all together, established the
Society for Women's education and Leadership aiming for the wider participation
of women in society and in the international community. It was their firm
belief that for Japan to become a full member of the modern world, it was
not enough to educate men only the role of women was indispensable. However,
as Japan evolved over the following years, their purpose was left unfilled
for more than a hundred years.
Will the nation of Japan decay, or will it be revived? Standing at this
crossroads as we do now, we look back at history, and to break out of our
present impasse establish the 21st Century version of the Women's Society
for Education and Leadership.
Please join us in our efforts to recreate and revive Japan as a country we love and of which we can be proud. Gloominess and uncertainty of the futureEEEthis is what characterizes Japan of today, and yet, despite of this , the women shall act and with their sensitivity, abundant energy, bright minds and spirits break out of the old mould. Let us say to the men who have worked like mad in the years gone by:" Please let us women take charge of the next 100 years".
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