“Why do little girls seem to resigned to supplementary career paths? Because Japan hasn’t made any social progress on gender discrimination since the 2000s. There has been no serious and sustained efforts to confront prejudice and stereotypes. If anything, ‘gender backlash’ has really pushed back the clock. Thus, ambitions are for boys, while cute and caring jobs are for girls. It’s simultaneously infuriating and depressing, actually, and in my opinion, accounts for the continuous decline of Japan’s economic standing.”
"There is definitely an imbalance in Japanese society. There are many girls who live outside of Tokyo who can only see themselves as becoming a school teacher or a nurse, at best. They face adversity. But this is the story of a woman who was born a slave, who fought against all odds, who learned to read and write and eventually won her freedom. I hope that the girls and boys who read this realize that they can do anything they want, become who they want, if they apply themselves. There are people who've faced worse odds. This is a story about triumphing over adversity."