TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo rail companies are providing
pregnant women with badges in the hope of prompting
other passengers on the Japanese capital's crowded
trains to offer them seats.
The pink and blue badges reading: "There is a baby in
my belly" are being handed out at stations around the
region to try to make commuting and other train
journeys easier for pregnant women, who are often left
standing. No proof of pregnancy is required.
"Especially in the early stages, it is difficult to
tell from someone's appearance whether they are
pregnant," said an official at the Health Ministry
which came up with the idea. "But these early stages
are rather unstable and it is important to take care."
The move comes as Japan scrambles for ways to persuade
women to have more babies. The dwindling birth rate
has left the nation with a shrinking population and
the world's highest proportion of elderly people.
"We want to create an environment that is pleasant for
pregnant women," the agency official said.
The move was welcomed by many.
"When I was three months pregnant and got on the
train, no one would really notice me and I couldn't
really ask them to give me a seat," said Yoshiko Kato,
a self-employed 38-year-old who is five months
pregnant. "So these badges, I hope, will help some
people to notice I am pregnant," she said.
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The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable
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