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 Toko Shirakawa

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Toko Shirakawa
For Toko Shirakawa's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 13, 2020
Keep a distance of 1.8 meters to avoid a catastrophe
The future of Japan depends on decisions by leaders and actions taken by every individual.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 9, 2020
Diversity and gender equality matter in an emergency
The lack of attention Japan has given to diversity or gender equality was exposed in its response to the COVID-19 emergency.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 27, 2020
Closing Japan's gender gap: The role of women in media
Women in media are discriminated against first by being women, and then in the way they work once they have children.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 10, 2019
The roles of women in influential positions
Sociologist Chizuko Ueno continues to be a driving force for gender equality in Japan.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 14, 2019
Why paternity leave should be mandatory
Behind the declining child population and the lingering income gap between Japanese men and women is the fact that husbands and wives do not take part in raising their children together.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 11, 2019
Japan an underdeveloped country for women
Despite its rich, industrialized economy, Japan has yet to achieve much progress in equality between men and women.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 4, 2018
Crack down on sexual harassment in schools
It's time to close the loopholes that allow teachers who sexually harass students to remain in the education industry.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 2, 2018
We can do more to help abused children
Japan's most precious asset is its children, yet estimated 350 of them die each year due to abuse.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 22, 2018
How to stop sexual harassment
Progress is being made in Japan, but legislation is needed to give anti-harassment efforts real teeth.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 7, 2018
Allow different surnames for married couples
Japan is the sole country in which husband and wife are legally obliged to use the same surname. This should change.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 7, 2018
Challenges to the Japanese style of work
Will the goverment's effort to implement labor reforms be enough to put an end to the notorious phenomenon of 'karoshi'?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 7, 2018
Corporate Japan slow to grasp #MeToo
From news coverage to corporate behavior, Japan is still mired in a Showa Era mindset.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 29, 2017
Gender equality and the mass media
Mass media in this country remains a male-dominated community and its understanding of gender equality is far too insufficient.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 31, 2017
From furaryman to 'Nige-haji'
To encourage more young people to start families, Japan must create an environment in which mothers can work and men do more to help out around the home.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 24, 2017
Could even a missile alert stop Japanese from going to the office?
Flexible working styles like telecommuting would benefit Japan on many levels.

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores