Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued a warning Monday to health minister Hakuo Yanagisawa about his "inappropriate remark" comparing women to "child-bearing machines," while female lawmakers in the opposition camp urged him to step down over the statement.
Yanagisawa made the remark in a speech Saturday on the declining birthrate and the social welfare and pension system.
"I believe (Yanagisawa's) statement was inappropriate and warned the minister to ensure that there are no misunderstandings in the future," Abe said during a plenary session of the Lower House.