"If I were a man doing the same work, no one would make any special mention of my gender, but I find I'm always being referred to by the media as 'the female director, Junko Emoto.' I don't want to say that's right or wrong, but it reminds me that this is today's reality," the Tokyo-based artist said during our recent conversation about her upcoming contribution to the Owl Spot Shakespeare Festival.

"I could overlook this and other such things and continue to create theater," Emoto claimed, "but I have no intention of doing so — even though lots of dramatists and people in general seem to find it easier to ignore awkward issues to avoid stirring up any controversy or conflicts among those around them.

"But if people close their eyes to small troubles, and are frightened of disturbing the harmony or rocking the boat, then they will gradually accept almost anything — including things causing problems in our society and the reasons for them."