That time, International Understanding Class was held jointly with Gender Equality Seminar sponsored by Ritto city so that more persons could come to know international understanding better. 　Age groups in wide spread, from young couple holding kids in their arm, family with schoolchild, to aged persons with grandchild participated in class. Two guests were kindly asked to talk regarding their motherland, culture and life , education, men involvement in household matters and etc, under chairmanship of Yuko Horiike San of RIFA member. 　Katerina San was born and bred in Japan to where her parent came for mission of Christianity. She has grandchild of 11 month old and is propagating Christianity as missionary. She appeared on stage being dressed in green based folk costume. According to her information, it is nearly common that persons living in forest are dressed in green based costume while persons living near lake are dressed in blue based costume . 　Ryuei San appeared on stage being dressed in pale purple china costume. Her home town is Harbin in Heilongjiang Province of China and came to Japan with her family at teenage. She has both Japanese and Chinese Teaching license and is very active in various fields. Also, she is mother of schoolchild. Katerina San talked that in Finland, Children are so reared as to express their opinion clearly from infancy. Parent is asked not to teach writing and reading to child before entering into school. There is no homework in 3 month summer vacation so that schoolchild can enjoy fully and have valuable experiences creating energy for next step. There is no private school, Juku in Japanese. Nation supports such social environment that women can rear child with jobs . It is tabooed to cast person in mold just by sex. She was so reared to have identity of Finland even in living in Japan, and very much appreciates various efforts of her parent. Regarding home life and child-rearing ,there is no role in particular between husband and wife and favorite thing is done respectively. They express their opinion each other in front of child and their figure having responsibility of opinion is shown to child. Ryuei San talked quietly that In China, There are many tow income families. She teared seeing parent with jobs. Her mother' s way of life still have influence on her life. Regarding education, China is under examination war, Juken-Senso In Japanese and children may be under high pressure in many cases. Parents have objectives to educate superior child with maximum efforts targeting schoolchild with red tie. As For family life, her husband is doing as much as he can. She has such objectives that they continue to live in Japan happily. Note that in China, there is school in which superior child are identified with red necktie.

Participant's comments 　In Japan, working women was strongly desiring gender equality for long time, and could realized it at long last through hell and fire. In Finland and China, no distinction between men and women has been existing, and they have been doing things that they must do as human, from very old times. 　Finland is life long learning society, not academic record-oriented society. People decide their course at 15 years old and select such school as to have job they want in future. 　There is big gap between Finland and Japan where people misunderstands such that there is no difficulty in having job once entering into famous universities. In Finland, people may have duty for voluntary service for one year before entering universities. They also may have duty for military service. 　In China, individual character is valued and theme is condidered as essential curriculum. overtime works are rare since it is general to earn between couple as well as in Finland. Co-workers welcome it to bringing child to working place. It is natural that women continue to work until month of parturition. 　Tow income family is common in both countries, therefore such word as House Wife, Sengyo Shufu in Japanese would not exit.　" Those who can do it when it can be done shall make household matters." This is word that I would like to let Japanese men hear. There is still difference in wage between men and women in Japan, even if doing same jobs in same office. Would women continue to struggle still more ? 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(K/F)

December, 2007 Issue（No3）