Photo/Illutration Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa speaks to reporters in Shizuoka on May 19. (Miho Tanaka)

SHIZUOKA--Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa retracted a remark she made at the weekend about women’s “childbearing” role, saying her choice of words was liable to cause misunderstanding.

“I sincerely accept the view that my words could be taken differently from my true intention of changing the future with women’s power,” Kamikawa told reporters May 19, reading from a prepared statement.

In a speech for a candidate from her ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the Shizuoka gubernatorial election, Kamikawa said the previous day, “We are not considered women if we women do not give birth to (a governor by electing) this person.”

In the statement on May 19, Kamikawa said she wanted female voters to exercise their power and elect Shinichi Omura as Shizuoka governor just as she was “born” as a Lower House member in 2000 through women’s power.

Kamikawa, who represents the Shizuoka No. 1 district, did not apologize for her remark that could be taken as insensitive to women.

She did not take questions from reporters.

But Prime Minister Fumio Kishida did meet with reporters in Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, on May 19, where he said he had heard that Kamikawa retracted her remark.

“I think expressions that can cause misunderstanding should be avoided,” he said.

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