Kris Kosaka's March 31 Zeit Gist article, "Women, know your place," which outlined the situation of women in Japan, was very enlightening and should be a wakeup call to women — and men — that Japan doesn't have the luxury of keeping its key players on the sidelines. In this global economy, every hand is needed to help keep the ship moving in the right direction.
I, too, have met women who seem overqualified to be housewives. While taking care of a home is a challenging effort, it is one best shared with the husband, thus allowing wives the freedom to pursue goals that will enrich the household — and Japan. I believe that traditional values are very important to society, and that we should not demolish the old ways for selfish ideals. That said, cultures cannot evolve without looking at themselves and asking difficult questions, coming up with difficult answers, and implementing lasting and beneficial solutions.
To evolve we sometimes must abandon the ways of the past and embrace ideas and practices that will make the future more engaging and prosperous for everyone. By encouraging women to go after their dreams and ambitions, Japan will be setting the stage, and opening the doors to a whole new realm of possibilities. The tragically ironic thing is, this isn't a radically new train of thought. It is just being denied out of ignorance.