The third episode of the drama series " Taigan no Kaji ~Kore ga, Watashi no Ikiru Michi~" (TBS, Tuesdays at 10pm), starring actress Mikako Tabe , was broadcast on April 15th. Reiko Nagano (Eguchi)'s husband Ryohei (Kawanishi Kenshiro) made a remark that drew backlash on social media.
◇The following contains spoilers
Just when Reiko thought her eldest daughter, Hoshina (Yoshitama Hoka-chan), had recovered, her eldest son, Atsumasa (Kotobuki Shoma-kun), caught the mumps. In order not to cause trouble for everyone, she tries to get her work done ahead of schedule, but her child's poor health causes all of her efforts to go to waste, and she can't help but sigh.
Reiko, who had just been given a few days off to look after Hoshina, desperately tried to find a place to leave her child but was ultimately unable to find one.
She asked her husband, who was on a business trip, if he could come home earlier, but he said, "No, that's impossible." "I couldn't come to work last week because Hoshina had the mumps. It's really tough that I can't go this week either," she said, asking for his help, but her husband seemed unconcerned, saying, "Isn't there somewhere I can leave my daughter?"
She kept insisting to her husband, "I'm asking you because you don't have it. Is it really impossible? Can't you entrust the work to someone else?" However, her husband said, "I can't cause trouble for my colleagues," and put an end to the argument.
On social media, comments such as, "They both want to avoid causing trouble for their colleagues, so why put only the burden on the wife!", "The problem in the Nagano family is the husband. It's strange that he thinks he can take as many days off as he wants, while he says 'I can't take time off because I don't want to cause trouble for my colleagues,'" and "No one wants to cause trouble for their colleagues. You should take turns with Reiko" and "I understand how working mothers feel, it hurts..." were widespread.
The film is based on the novel "Taigan no Kaji" (Housework on the Other Side) by Kiko Akano (published by Kodansha Bunko). It depicts the "endless work" of housework through the protagonist's interactions with "people on the other side" who have different positions and ways of thinking than her.
