The Miranda

Toshiko Terada, Attorney-at-Law, owner of Tsukasa law firm
Hometown: Osaka

Can you tell me a little bit about your background?
I grew up in Kansai and went to Kansai University to study law, and lived there for a year and a half after graduation. I moved to Tokyo about four years ago because I wanted to use my English more, and in Osaka at that time there weren’t that many opportunities.

Tell me about your career
I worked first as a translator and interpreter for a trading company, and then I worked for a law firm in Osaka where I did civil, corporate and criminal law… anything you can imagine! Basically, I’m what you’d call a “generalist, not a specialist.” I currently have my own practice, called Tsukasa Law Firm. The name is based on the Japanese kanji for “control of justice.”

In your view, how has being a woman affected your career?
Honestly, I don’t feel any difference personally. I have heard of discrimination against female lawyers, though. For example, law firms may say they prefer male lawyers because of the pregnancy factor and the financial packages they would have to provide, which is a real burden, especially for smaller law firms. And I can understand that.

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Are there a lot of female attorneys in Japan, especially ones with their own firms or in very powerful positions?
There are more female attorneys than you would expect. Often I talk to lawyers in New York or Canada, for instance, who ask me the same question. They want to know what it is like to be a female lawyer in Japan because they are under the impression we have a sort of “feudalistic” society. And some of that is true.

How does being a working woman at the current time in Japan compare to the situation for women overseas?
I think we’re still behind, but we’ve come a long way compared to a generation ago. On the surface, men and women are equal in the workplace, but we still have some way to go compared to America and other Western countries.

Do you think the lead characters are positive role models for working women? What other role models do you have?
I’m a great fan of the show! It’s a TV program so I’m not sure if it’s realistic or not. But I think these shows have a huge influence on reality. I think it does change the way women think and see themselves. I think these movies and TV programs don’t reflect reality, they influence reality—how our society changes. I think the main characters in Sex and the City show one way of living. We don’t have to be bound to these strict Japanese traditional ways of living; we can be a bit freer.

Which character in the show do you most identify with?
I envy how free all the women are. I think I’m more like Charlotte in that I have very traditional values and feel I have to be prim and proper, this and that. But I’m also like Miranda. She’s a lawyer and working mother and I identify with a lot of things she goes through. And sometimes, I long to be as free and independent as Samantha, not bound to any tradition or expectations.

What Tokyo hotspots can you recommend?
Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Hills have some fabulous places. I especially like the Midtown bar/restaurant orange. I like the atmosphere there.