A public school principal who recently made controversial remarks calling on women to bear and raise children rather than pursue careers defended his words Tuesday, saying he has not directly heard any complaints from students or parents.
"I have yet to confirm whether anyone was hurt by my speech. If such a person does indeed exist, I will explain (my intentions) again," Hisao Terai, the 61-year-old head of Mattakita Junior High School in the city of Osaka's Tsurumi Ward, told reporters.
In his Feb. 29 remarks made before a school assembly of about 600 students, he said that giving birth to two children or more is the "most important thing" for a woman and "more valuable than building her career."