Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida responds at the Lower House Budget Committee to a question from Chinami Nishimura of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan on Feb. 1. (Koichi Ueda)

Despite Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's statement that he "experienced" the burdens of raising children, his wife said in an interview that she raised their three children on her own. 

An opposition party leader cited the published interview that Yuko Kishida gave last year that seemed to refute her husband's claim.

Kishida said in the Diet on Jan. 30 that he knew from experience the burdens of raising children after being criticized for suggesting a parent can take reskilling courses during their child care leave.

However, his wife said in an article carried in the March 2022 issue of the monthly Bungeishunju magazine that she parented their three children without his help in Hiroshima, where his constituency is located.

Chinami Nishimura, a senior official with the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, alluded to Yuko’s statement during a debate at the Lower House Budget Committee on Feb. 1.

When the magazine asked her whether she raised their children on her own, Yuko said, “Yes.”

“It was really hard sometimes, like what to do with the two other children when one developed a fever in the middle of the night,” she said in the interview. “But I told my husband that he should fully focus on his work in Tokyo.”

At the Feb. 1 session, Nishimura asked Kishida if it was true that he actually knew little about parenting.

The prime minister did not directly answer her question, instead saying, “I meant to emphasize that raising children is a huge challenge from every aspect” with his earlier statement.

At the Jan. 30 session of the same committee, the prime minister said, “I have experienced and witnessed for myself that raising children is a great financial and psychological burden and takes up so much time.”

With the comment, Kishida was apparently trying to convey that he understands how difficult it is to raise children.

That followed a barrage of criticism from opposition parties and social media for his remark in the Diet on Jan. 27 that the government would provide support to workers who seek to undergo professional reskilling during their child care leave.

Critics said his suggestion shows that he is out of touch with the realities of raising children.

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