On June 14, 2005, Upper House member Eriko Yamatani gave a lecture at Mitaka Marketing Plaza Assembly Hall. As well as being a member of the House of Councilors, Yamatani is also Vice-chairperson of the Gender Equality Promotion Council and a mother of 2 sons and a daughter. Her lecture, entitled "Redressing the Hidden Problems of 'Gender Equality'", was indeed a classic example of backlash in both content and form.
Maison de Himiko is the second film created through the collaboration of the director Isshin Inudo and the scriptwriter Aya Watanabe. Following the success of their first film, Josee, the Tiger and the Fish, which focused on the sexuality of the handicapped, Maison de Himiko revolves around the theme of ‘homosexuals and family’.
The Wedding Gift, a film directed by Jung Hwa Lee, was screened on September 18, 2005 during the ICU Asian Film Showcase. Lee is a graduate of Ewha Women’s University, where she studied physics and educational engineering. After graduating, she has been working as a script writer for TV documentaries and children programs. She is married and lives in Japan.