The first female student that gets admitted to Japan’s national naval submarine academy is now a fact. Risa Takenouchi entered the academy on January 22, after Japan ended the ban on women on the its submarines.
Risa Takenouchi entered the academy in Hiroshima, after the Maritime Self-Defense Force overturned previous restrictions.
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Speaking to reporters after her admission, she stated that she does not want to put too much pressure on myself as the first woman. She now wants to focus on working with her classmates and train to become a submarine crew member.
Until now, the academy has long only allowed men to serve on submarines. However, it changed the rules in 2018, assessing that gender-specific privacy must be addressed without major submarine remodelling.
This development is an attempt by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to expand the role of women in its ranks, as well as attract young talent. In fact, local media report that the Japanese Navy has had difficulties in attracting candidates to serve on submarines.
Under this light, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been a long advocate of the role of women’s expansion in the workplace.
