3 Japanese Governors Simulate Pregnancy To Promote Empathy

Research shows that in the U.S. the more you help your wife around the house, the better your sex life will be. But a 2014 worldwide survey found that men in Japan only contribute one hour of housework for every 5 women spend daily, which kind of explains why they’re not getting laid much. But this week the Japanese government is trying to change that in the weirdest way possible: By putting pregnancy vests on their politicians for a day.

The video, aptly titled “The Governor is a Pregnant Woman,” features 3 Japanese governors, completing everyday tasks to cheery music, all while wearing bellies that simulate being 7 months pregnant. In partnership with Kyushu Yamaguchi Work Life Promotion Campaign, the arguably confusing point of the clip is to encourage workaholic men to help their wives around the house more. Although they don’t come out and directly say this, it could help them step up their game in the bedroom/birthrate department as well … as long as their wives never see this.

Still the message of empathy may be lost viewers who don’t speak Japanese (or are just bad listeners), because the men featured seem like they’re having the best time ever. One of them even gets a seat on the bus without a pink light or having to explain why he’s a pregnant man. If anything, this is mostly a PSA promoting how funny it would be if men could get pregnant. Your move, science.

[H/T] The Japan Times