Aside from that, a couple of other things have been surfacing in the media's coverage: his personal life has had its ups and downs, as he's been married three times and has had children with several women, etc., which I think is his own business, unless his family values are at issue in how he governs.
The other thing that has grabbed hold of the media cycle is something he said in 1989, on record, that women couldn't make critical decisions because they have menstrual cycles that make them irrational. The link for this article is
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2555178/Women-threaten-sex-strike-against-men-voted-new-Tokyo-governor-claimed-females-unfit-government-periods-make-irrational.html
To be fair to him, it was over two decades ago, and I believe that people can reconsider their prejudices in the course of time. But it astounds me how politicians can make such statements over here and still survive. A previous, long-standing Tokyo governor named Shintaro Ishihara is quoted to have said that "old women who live after they have lost their reproductive function are useless and are committing a sin." See his Wikipedia article, specifically the section entitled "Other controversial statements":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shintaro_Ishihara#Views_on_foreigners_in_Japan
I remember last year President Obama, at a fundraising lunch, referring to the California AG as "by far, the best-looking Attorney General. . ." and all the grief he took for that. The stark contrast between this and that, I suppose, speaks to the differences in how politics is run here and there.
Anyway, below is a reprinting of the article about the newly-elected governor:
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Women threaten 'sex strike' against men who voted for new Tokyo governor after he claimed females were unfit for government because 'periods make them irrational'
- Yoichi Masuzoe said women are 'not normal' when menstruating
- 'The association of women who will not have sex with men who vote for Masuzoe' has gained 3,000 followers since it launched last week
- Former health minister won Tokyo's gubernatorial election today
A group of women have launched a sex boycott against men who voted for the newly elected governor of Tokyo, after he claimed females were unfit for government because of their menstruation cycles.
Yoichi Masuzoe claimed in an interview with a men's magazine that women were not able to make critical decisions when they having a period because they are 'not normal'.
A Twitter campaign called 'the association of women who will not have sex with men who vote for Masuzoe' has gained 3,000 followers since it launched last week.
Yoichi Masuzoe claimed in an interview with a
men's magazine that women were not able to make critical decisions when
they having a period because they are 'not normal.'
The anonymous group founders say in their profile: 'We have stood up to prevent Mr Masuzoe, who makes such insulting remarks against women [from being elected] … We won't have sex with men who will vote for Mr Masuzoe.'
In the 1989 interview he said women were irrational because of their menstrual cycle.
He said: 'Women are not normal when they are having a period … You can't possibly let them make critical decisions about the country [during their period] such as whether or not to go to war.'
However, despite their best efforts, the former
health minister backed by Japan's ruling party, won Tokyo's
gubernatorial election on Sunday, defeating two candidates who had
promised to end nuclear power.
![The anonymous group founders say in their profile: 'We have stood up to prevent Mr Masuzoe, who makes such insulting remarks against women [from being elected] ... We won't have sex with men who will vote for Mr Masuzoe'](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vctncJs_F5aNkBShkLmESvZaC7Z2eejYYinnJlxblXfwCWl-VevGWDz3qWq6NpwFIAb2ZlFI1ffYJd6D7cXGDxsJRtcFEyD5vurd9JAjICSVC26_iITEqz-LjGsJ-O4HiOISEkeZTeLmtwit83z1JnOk7c31hMPJB0tHTGZX5io0BC79JP5KbX5MjotrXkA5s_ZtGSft74ROu0DUQZUXmNkuMqTEsCp2Rf=s0-d)
The anonymous group founders say in their
profile: 'We have stood up to prevent Mr Masuzoe, who makes such
insulting remarks against women [from being elected] ... We won't have
sex with men who will vote for Mr Masuzoe'
A
second petition website was also launched on Wednesday, by a group of
women trying to stop him from becoming governor of Tokyo, attracting
75,000 hits a day, the Guardian reports.
Masuzoe's victory was declared in exit polls on public broadcaster NHK within minutes after voting closed.
Masuzoe, 65, appeared smiling before cameras, with his supporters shouting 'Banzai,' and promised to make Tokyo 'the No. 1 city in the world.'
Masuzoe's victory was declared in exit polls on public broadcaster NHK within minutes after voting closed.
Masuzoe, 65, appeared smiling before cameras, with his supporters shouting 'Banzai,' and promised to make Tokyo 'the No. 1 city in the world.'
Japan's former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa
speaks following his defeat in the Tokyo gubernatorial election in
Tokyo. Hosokawa was backed by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi,
who pushed for zero nuclear power
Masuzoe's victory was declared in exit polls on public broadcaster NHK within minutes after voting closed
The
ballot was widely seen as a test for Japan's public opinion on atomic
power in a nation shaken by the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
But the anti-nuclear camp was divided between two candidates — former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa and human-rights lawyer Kenji Utsunomiya.
Masuzoe garnered about 30 percent of the vote, according to NHK exit polls.
Hosokawa and Utsunomiya got about 20 percent each, indicating that if the anti-nuclear vote had been united, a win by either might have been possible.
Official vote tallies were not expected until Monday.
But the anti-nuclear camp was divided between two candidates — former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa and human-rights lawyer Kenji Utsunomiya.
Masuzoe garnered about 30 percent of the vote, according to NHK exit polls.
Hosokawa and Utsunomiya got about 20 percent each, indicating that if the anti-nuclear vote had been united, a win by either might have been possible.
Official vote tallies were not expected until Monday.
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