An assemblywoman who brought her 7-month-old son into the assembly hall has sparked controversy in Japan, but a Sophia University professor says there are several solutions to the issue.
On Nov. 22, Yuka Ogata, 42, took her seat on the floor of the Kumamoto Municipal Assembly while holding her son. Following a quarrel with the assembly chairman, Ogata was eventually persuaded to leave her baby with a friend before attending the session, which was delayed about 40 minutes by the fracas.
Ogata said she had been asking the assembly office whether she could bring her baby in with her ever since she became pregnant last year. Unable to get permission, she decided to do it anyway.