『ニューヨーク Biz』2023年１月１日号掲載 新年ごあいさつ
新年明けましておめでとうございます ENGLISH followed after Japanese greeting
2022年はパンデミックで世界がリセットされ、伝統的なビジネスが再検証され、パンデミック後の新社会に合う新しいアイデアが歓迎され、日々進化しているテクノロジーの波に乗らないと遅れをとる、と思わせる年だった。対照的に、米国社会形成を司る概念は逆行を見る年となり、6月に米最高裁は50年前に女性の権利として認めた中絶は米憲法では保障されていないとし、女性の権利が問われている。
女性の社会的観念において米国はいつでもアジアの数十年先を行き、幼少期に日本で育った私にとって、米国は女性であっても自分の判断で自分らしく生きられる国であった。中絶の是非自体より、国が女性の人生の判断を制限する動きに対してショックを覚えた。女性進出に対しグラスシーリングという見えない壁を打ち砕いてきた米国の女性たち。ニューヨークの教育部門のトップの多くは女性で、我が娘の出身校、名門Brearleyを率いるのもJane Foley校長。男性コーチが支配的なスポーツの世界で、娘のNorthwestern大学水泳部ではKatie Robinsonヘッドコーチが指揮を執る。11月にはKathy Hochul氏が、ニューヨーク州初の当選での女性知事に就任。18年前に少しでも世界を良い場所にしたい、という使命のもと、国境を越えて命を救い、命の誕生を助ける医療コンサルティング会社を設立した私は、情報発信のために12月、3年ぶりの東京講演を行うことができた。歴史は繰り返され、今後も前後するだろう。が、次世代は現在我々が敷いているレールに繋がっている。女性の努力を称えると共に、皆様の健康を心からお祈り申し上げ新年のご挨拶とさせていただきます。
この新年ごあいさつは『ニューヨーク Biz』2023年１月１日号に掲載されました（６～７ページに掲載）
Weekly Biz New Year’s Greeting 2023 :US-Japan’s leaders
Happy New Year
The whole world collectively hit the reset button in 2022, in an effort to establish a new normal after the pandemic. Traditional business practices were reexamined and new ideas to suit the post-pandemic society were welcomed, and the wave of rapidly evolving technology spurred us to adapt or risk falling behind.
In contrast, 2022 also witnessed a sharp regression in the social values and concepts that govern American society—in June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutionally protected right to an abortion, which had been recognized as a woman’s right 50 years ago. Eliminating the court’s federal standard on abortion access sparked a nationwide controversy and once again brought the topic of women’s rights to the forefront of discussion.
To this point, the United States had consistently been several decades ahead of Asia with regard to societal and social notions of women. Growing up in Japan, I always idealized the U.S. as a country where even women could make their own decisions and live their own way. Looking beyond abortion itself as the central focus, I was shocked by the fact that a country—particularly the United States—wanted to control women’s choices and lives.
American women have long fought to break through the glass ceiling reenforcing gender inequality and stunting women’s advancement. Many heads of education in New York City are women—Jane Foley Fried, the head of school at the prestigious Brearley School, from which my daughter graduated, instills confidence in each girl every day. In a sports world dominated by male coaches, Northwestern University’s strong Swimming and Diving program, for whom my daughter competes, is led by head coach Katie Robinson. In November, Kathy Hochul became the first female elected governor of the State of New York.
I founded our medical and legal consultancy company 18 years ago with the goal of making the world a better place. Our company has been able to help people save lives and assist with births across borders. In December, I was honored to speak in Tokyo for the first time after a three-year break due to the pandemic. People flew in from all over Japan for the illuminating speech.
History repeats itself and will continue to do so. The next generation of leaders will ride the rails we lay down now. I would like to conclude my New Year’s greetings by praising the hard work of women all over the globe, and I wish you great health and happiness in the new year.
–New York Biz is a major Japanese paper distributed in 36 cities in the United States –
Published on January 1, 2023 USA By Weekly Business News Corp. （Page 6~7）
