Seiko Noda, Acting Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party and Member of the House of Representatives

There is no 100% justice. That is why I want to create a society where people can make choices.

■ Profile

Born in 1960. Graduated from Sophia University. Joined the Imperial Hotel. After serving as a member of the Gifu Prefectural Assembly, he was elected to the House of Representatives nine times. He has served as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, among other positions, before assuming his current position in September 2020.

As a member of the Liberal Democratic Party's Diet, Seiko Noda has had a major impact on women's advancement in society. For many years, she has been active at the forefront of efforts to improve the status of women and to make minorities such as foreigners and people with disabilities the majority. We spoke to Noda about her journey as a politician and her thoughts on the ideal shape of Japanese society in the future.

■ The most difficult time I studied in my life was during my university years, and the difficult job hunting process

After studying abroad in the United States during high school, I was accepted into the Department of Comparative Culture, Faculty of Foreign Studies at Sophia University through a recommendation exam. At the time, the Department of Comparative Culture had a campus in Ichigaya, not Yotsuya, and was known as a faculty that attracted a diverse student body, including international students and returnees. The international students were very studious, and I was influenced by them, so I think that was the period when I studied the most in my life. In addition to my studies, I continued skiing, a passion I had had since the early years of elementary school, as part of a club activity, and enjoyed a fulfilling university life.
Then, when it was finally time to start job hunting, I was unable to get a job offer from the airlines I applied to. Looking back, I didn't have a specific job preference at the time, so I was just taking exams for various positions with my friends. The Imperial Hotel was one of them. It was the third round of recruitment, so it was a tough competition, but they were attracted by my ability to speak English, and I was finally able to get a job offer.

■ The rigorous training days at the Imperial Hotel where she was hired as a female executive

At the time, female employees with a university degree were rare, so I was hired as a candidate for management. After I joined the company, I underwent training immediately and was sent out to work as a room attendant. I had imagined a glamorous job in a hotel, so I remember being very disappointed when I found out that my job would be cleaning rooms. What's more, I was assigned to clean bathrooms. This was in an era when gloves were not available, so I had to clean the toilets with my bare hands and get on all fours to pick up every single hair that had fallen on the floor. I had never cleaned like that even at home, so it was a really tough job.
After a while, I was able to move to work in the restaurant department, but I struggled because the guidance from a senior colleague I met there was strict. Eventually, I was able to become good friends with him (laughs). I also made many mistakes, spilling coffee on a customer and dropping a fried egg, and there were times when I wanted to quit my job, but I encouraged myself by telling myself, "It's not cool to quit right away!" and somehow managed to carry on. Looking back, I think it was because of these experiences that I was able to think positively, believing that I would be able to manage even when faced with difficulties.

His grandfather's words, "Go and get trained," led him to the path of becoming a Diet member

At the Imperial Hotel, I was enjoying my days to the fullest, having become the first woman to be appointed to the position of international sales representative. Then, suddenly, I received a call from the supporters of my grandfather, a politician, asking me if I would like to run for office. The sudden request surprised me, but the supporters wanted to change conservative Gifu, and their words, "You're the only one who can do it," encouraged me to run for prefectural assembly. I was elected, and at the age of 26, I entered the world of politics. As I spent my days as a prefectural assembly member, supported by the local community, I began to think, "I want to make Gifu and Japan better," and "I want to realize everyone's wishes." My grandfather also encouraged me, saying, "If you want to pursue politics, become a member of the Diet and put yourself through the wringer," and at the age of 32, I was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time, becoming a member of the Diet.

■What is the job of a member of parliament?

When I became a member of the Diet, I was the only female member of the House of Representatives for the Liberal Democratic Party. One day, a woman came to me, desperate to speak to a female Diet member. She told me, "Some wealthy Japanese men are committing sexual violence overseas. I want something done." She told me that men were buying young girls for cheap and sexually assaulting them in Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia. At the time, Japan's crackdown on sexual violence was lacking, and the country was even referred to overseas as a "child pornography powerhouse." I still vividly remember my deep disappointment in Japan's lack of laws to punish such crimes. I was inspired by the woman's dedication to working hard to help girls overseas, even girls I didn't know. It made me realize that, as a Diet member, I had to create laws to change this country. I traveled to places where Japanese men were believed to be committing sexual crimes, conducted interviews, and uncovered the truth. Over the course of seven years, I successfully drafted a law to crack down on sexual crimes overseas (the "Child Prostitution and Child Pornography Prohibition Act"). In this way, the job of a member of parliament is to "listen to the voices of the people, their diverse thoughts and feelings, and create laws to realize them."

■ I want to turn minorities into the majority in society

One of my future goals is to pass a law that allows for the selective separation of marital status, which I have been calling for since I was first elected. I believe that the selective separation of marital status is essential for creating a diverse nation.
Recognizing and accepting diversity is important for creating a tolerant society. Justice differs from one person to another. Because 100% justice and perfection do not exist, we need to create a society in which people have choice. I also want to turn minorities into the majority. I want to focus on the challenges facing minorities, such as foreigners, women, and people with disabilities, and create a country where people with diverse personalities can live comfortably and thrive. I want this to become the norm. For example, today, the impression that "politics = something men do" is deeply ingrained, but I want to break down this outdated stereotype. I hope to see the arrival of an era in which politics is a common career choice for women.

■ When interacting with people, think of your own deviation score as 0

I entered university through a recommendation exam, so I don't know what my "deviation score" is. In Japan, we use deviation scores as a yardstick to compare ourselves, belittle ourselves, or feel superior. However, in reality, deviation scores are not a measure of a person's true character. We should look at people with our own eyes and use our animal instincts to determine their character. I believe that not knowing my own deviation score allows me to judge people equally without any preconceptions. So, everyone, try interacting with others, thinking that your deviation score is 0. Perhaps you will be able to see their true nature.

Student Newspaper Online March 12, 2021 Interview by Tsuda University 1st year student Kokoro Sato