WAR AND PEACE: Women in SDF face plenty of battles
IHT/Asahi: March 5, 2005
...the SDF is trying to create an accommodating environment by helping women balance work and child care, and by showing concern for women when building facilities, it has no plans for deployment of women to tanks, fighter jets and escort ships that actually engage in warfare. The SDF cites ``protection of motherhood'' for its decision....
....Quite a few of the women had heard abusive comments like ``We don't need women.'' Also, the policy of ``preferential treatment,'' which exempts women from certain tasks, creates friction with men. To compensate for physical disadvantages, women tended to volunteer for tasks like cleaning up garbage or pouring tea.
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