《中英對照讀新聞》LDP lawmaker says women who have four babies should be lauded 自民黨議員說生4子的女性應受表揚

◎張沛元

A female Upper House member says the government should commend women who give birth to four or more children.

日本國會參議院的1名女參議員說，日本政府應該表揚至少生4個孩子的女性。

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With Japan suffering from a declining birthrate, Akiko Santo, of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, made the remarks at a behind-closed-doors meeting of party executives Nov. 21.

隨著日本飽受生育率逐漸降低之苦，執政黨自民黨參議員山東昭子在11月21日1場黨內幹部的閉門會議上，發表上述言論。

"Some people say that as society emphasizes women’s empowerment, working women have been praised while, conversely, homemakers have been underappreciated," Santo, also a former vice president of the upper chamber, later explained to The Asahi Shimbun.

「有人說，隨著社會重視強化婦女權能，職業婦女備受讚譽，但相反地，家庭主婦卻未得到正確評價，」曾任參議院副議長的山東稍後向朝日新聞解釋。

She added that she expects those women to come forward and apply for official recognition.

她還說，她期望這些家庭主婦主動出面申請官方表揚。

Some politicians have stirred up controversy with remarks on women and children.

好幾位（日本）政治人物曾因針對婦孺的發言引發爭議。

"Child-bearing machines" is how women were described by Hakuo Yanagisawa, a welfare minister, in 2007, which led Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to apologize.

前厚生勞動大臣柳澤伯夫在2007年以「生子機器」形容女性，導致日本首相安倍晉三為此道歉。

新聞辭典

suffer from：慣用語，受…之苦／折磨，from後接理由（如爭執、疾病、健康情況）。例句：The island is suffering from a strong tropical storm.（該島正受到強烈熱帶風暴侵襲。）

come forward：慣用語，自告奮勇／挺身而出；提出與討論意見。

stir up：慣用語，激起（不快的情感）；挑起，煽動（事端）。例句：These old pictures stirred up some unpleasant memories.（這些老照片勾起一些令人不悅的回憶。）

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