Popular interest in sociologist Chizuko Ueno appears to be picking up once again after her speech at the University of Tokyo's entrance ceremony last April became the talk of the town. In it, she exposed the structural discrimination in Japanese society by noting, "Society that does not reward you, no matter how great efforts you may make, awaits you" — became the talk of the town.
Ueno has since appeared on a TV program in which she engaged in a dialogue with younger women and she gave several media interviews. In a recent article in Seventeen magazine, which is aimed at teenagers, she gave advice to junior high and high school girls about their adolescent problems.
Born in 1949, Ueno has been a driving force of feminism in this country. As a sociologist, she was the first in Japan to launch women's studies. Each time she triggered one of the various booms she created, Ueno offered stimulus to multiple generations of women. Through the years, Ueno herself has not changed a bit — although society has changed a lot.