Billboard Japan launched its Girls in Music initiative final yr, highlighting numerous trailblazing girls within the music business in a string of initiatives, together with interviews by main figures of their respective fields. The initiative follows the established instance of Billboard’s Girls in Music occasion that has honored artists, producers and executives who’ve made vital contributions to the music business and empowered girls by way of their work since 2007.
Akiko Nakajo is subsequent up within the Japan Girls in Music interview collection. At the moment, the Japan nation consultant of YouTube Japan, Nakajo studied overseas as a pupil and started her profession at a TV station. Overcoming biased opinions at numerous factors in her life, corresponding to “Why ought to a lady research overseas?” and “Girls can’t learn the information,” she paved her strategy to her present place. Now that she is concerned within the administration of a platform for creators and artists to speak with audiences world wide, what does she suppose must be improved and what does she really feel hopeful about?
Had been there any girls you regarded as much as rising up?
Firstly, my mom was all the time there for me after I got here residence. She was that sort of mom who made me really feel secure and guarded. I used to be grateful for her love and help. Secondly, I admired feminine broadcasters. After I was a baby, girls working as broadcasters started to emerge and I used to be impressed by their braveness and willpower. I believed it was fantastic to see them utilizing their voices to speak and to make a distinction in society. Thirdly, I additionally admired artists and creators. I’ve all the time been drawn to all types of leisure. I used to be fascinated by the best way artists might specific themselves by way of their work. I cherished a Japanese TV music present referred to as the Greatest Hit USA that was very fashionable in my time. As a result of it showcased their music, their phrases, and the best way they specific themselves all depart an enduring impression on me.
You noticed the assorted sides girls have and have been impressed by these totally different strengths.
I consider so. I’ve all the time loved creating issues, too. There’s something magical about with the ability to take nothing and switch it into one thing. That’s the reason I like artists, creators, and filmmakers a lot as they’ve the flexibility to take their imaginations and make them actual.
Has your concept of a super lady modified over time?
My respect for individuals who specific themselves has by no means wavered. Creators and artists of every kind make issues regardless of their hardships, and so they give us inspiration and hope for the long run. I really feel empowered by their works, too. By way of my very own experiences, I’ve come to consider that everybody — whether or not they’re artists, enterprise leaders, journalists or moms — contributes to society and the neighborhood. I’m additionally impressed by folks, regardless of how they determine themselves, who decide themselves up after they fail and obtain one thing new. Failure is one thing that occurs to everybody, nevertheless it’s how we reply to it that issues.
So that you’ve gained extra folks you respect. Of the various new artists quickly rising on YouTube, are there any feminine creators that you just discover worthy of observe?
YouTube is residence to all kinds of content material creators and artists, and so they can leap to transcend borders. Prior to now, it was a serious problem to develop your audiences internationally, however now, expressing your work on YouTube means “making a worldwide debut.” The recognition and attain that individuals like Hyakumantenbara Salome and P Marusama have are super. When seeing the various expressions of those creators, it’s encouraging to see that it’s OK to determine with your personal expression and id.
What have been you want as a baby rising up?
I just lately met with my elementary college classmates and so they stated I used to “costume in freedom” again then. I feel I used to be attempting to free myself from one thing. On the time, it was widespread for women to be informed tips on how to act and have their actions restricted. For instance, girls weren’t allowed to learn the information on TV, and so they have been solely seen as climate forecasters generally, or hosts of segments inside a program. This was the world I lived in, and I used to be decided to do issues as I needed to do them. I simply couldn’t hand over.
What did you do to maintain from giving up what you needed to do? You would say that finding out overseas and getting a job as an anchor individual freed you from that “one thing” you talked about.
Before everything, I needed to persuade the folks round me. After I informed my mother and father that I needed to review overseas, not solely my mother and father but in addition someway my family members and neighbors joined within the dialogue of why a woman ought to depart her hometown to review overseas, and so they thought a neighborhood college could be adequate. It took me two years to persuade all of them, however I finally succeeded. On the day of my departure, about 30 folks — together with my lecturers and vice principals from every of my elementary, junior excessive, and excessive faculties, my family members and pals — got here to Narita Airport to see me off. Trying again, it’s an unbelievable sight, however I feel the lengthy discussions have been their method of exhibiting me love and help. That’s why I feel it’s solely pure to offer again to society, my very own youngsters, and to the crew I work with.
You’re now the mom of two sons. How did motherhood have an effect on your profession?
I bought married early and didn’t plan on working for lengthy, partly as a result of I used to be raised by a stay-at-home mother. I used to be 26 years previous after I married and needed to have children rapidly and be there for them as a mom, however we weren’t blessed with youngsters for over ten years. At one level, I even puzzled if I’d ever be a mom on this lifetime. I had no long-term imaginative and prescient for my profession and time type of handed as I simply saved working onerous every single day and took on no matter challenges got here my method.
There was additionally a constructive aspect to experiencing motherhood at a later age. I used to be in a unique section of my profession, and I felt extra ready to deal with parenting as a result of I had a greater understanding of my job. Regardless of how previous you might be once you develop into a father or mother, there’ll all the time be stuff you don’t find out about elevating a baby. However in case you don’t know tips on how to do your job, managing each parenting and work shall be chaotic.
All through my journey, I’ve made a acutely aware effort to interact in a number of actions concurrently. For example, I’ve been concerned in non-profit work alongside my profession, taught at faculties, and pursued additional training. Juggling a number of initiatives on the identical time grew to become second nature to me. After I finally grew to become a mom, I used to be in a position to redirect a number of the time and vitality I’d invested in these private initiatives in direction of parenting. I consider that my experiences allowed me to use the teachings I’d realized to parenting and vice versa, trying on the constructive aspect of changing into a mom after gaining expertise.
What you simply shared could encourage people who find themselves attempting have youngsters at an older age. What do you suppose is critical to make it simpler for girls to work, society-wise?
Data is now a lot simpler to entry than after I was in my 20s and 30s. I feel this protects time and makes it simpler to design one’s every day life. Alternatively, one thing that may’t be solved by way of know-how is one’s mindset and the mindset of the folks round them. Even when a system is in place, it is going to be tough to attain a working fashion if the best mindset will not be current.
What do you imply by “mindset”?
I consider that many options will be present in society, corporations, and different organizations if we correctly handle the essential problem of “creating an surroundings the place folks will be themselves, respect one another, and contribute to one another.” Merely put, this implies “psychological security.” For instance, we frequently hear from mother and father who discover it tough to inform their colleagues that they’ve to go away early as a result of their youngster is sick. It is a signal that the office could not have a tradition of psychological security. I’m positive some elements have improved in recent times, nevertheless it’s nonetheless removed from sufficient. It can be crucial for people to take skilled obligations in addition to be answerable for their very own algorithm and for these round them to respect and help them.
We’re within the midst of a serious shift in values as a society in Japan. As a father or mother, is there something you attempt to take heed to concerning gender inequality?
Really, my sons are fast to level out any stereotyping if I might need. They are going to say, “Mother, isn’t that stereotyping?” Evidently the faculties they attend proactively interact in discussions on gender inequality and different social points. I feel it’s nice that they’re conscious of those points, and I’m glad they really feel snug talking up continuously, and I discover myself studying from my sons on a regular basis.
It’s encouraging to listen to that efforts are being made in faculties to eradicate gender bias. What do you suppose must be finished to advertise gender equality within the Japanese music and leisure business?
I feel it’s secure to say that there are indicators of change in gender equality. Prior to now, I typically discovered myself in conditions the place I used to be the one lady in a gathering, however that’s changing into uncommon. We’re additionally seeing an increasing number of girls in decision-making positions, the place they weren’t given the chance earlier than.
For instance, gender inequality in larger training, particularly within the sciences, is an issue that’s being addressed finally in recent times. However till pretty just lately, mother and father and lecturers would typically say issues like, “Ladies are higher suited to the liberal arts.” These phrases are imprinted in our minds. Whereas the idea of “girls belong within the residence” is taken into account outdated, I used to be influenced by my mom and had no intention of pursuing a profession after I was younger. This exhibits the immeasurable affect of mindsets unknowingly imprinted by our environments, corresponding to household and society.
There are nonetheless many obstacles that have to be overcome, however I’m hopeful as a result of along with particular person efforts, constructive efforts by society as an entire are being made. This consists of packages encouraging the expansion of the subsequent era. It goes with out saying that gender has nothing to do with how gifted somebody is. We must always stay optimistic and work in direction of accelerating this transformation.
—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan
