TOKYO—At the prosecutors’ office in Tokyo, everyone makes their own copies and tea—tasks often relegated to women in a country that’s been criticized for its lack of gender equality.
Prosecutor Rina Ito is quick to acknowledge that luck played a role, though her accomplishments didn’t hurt. Tokyo District Prosecutors are Japan’s top-brass upholders of justice, notorious for going after corruption in the highest places: the Lockheed scandal of the 1970s that unseated a prime minister, the Recruit company insider trading debacle of the 1980s, and, more recently, bribery and bid-rigging related to the Tokyo Olympics.
She also notes that prosecutors, male or female, get moved around a lot—as quickly as every year or two—to various regional offices throughout the nation. The shuffling makes it almost impossible to curry favor with bosses, or develop personal relationships that could affect advancement prospects and fair evaluation.
Prosecutors are taking paternity leave in growing numbers, easing the gap between men and women like prosecutor Tomoko Suzuki, who took maternity leave for a combined several years to have two sons and is back full-time at her job. Her husband, who works in shipping, is based in Singapore. She puts her sons on a plane during school vacations. Her children are learning to make friends with flight attendants and enjoying Singapore’s diverse culture.