OSAKA -- Osaka Gov. Fusae Ohta has no trouble with being Japan's first female governor, except that she is repeatedly asked what it is like to hold such a distinction.
Speaking at a regular news conference at the prefectural office in Chuo Ward here, Ohta looked back on the past six months since she succeeded "Knock" Yokoyama, who resigned in disgrace in December over molestation charges.
"It's different from being a bureaucrat. I realized a governor's words have more influence on society," she said Tuesday, adding that she feels as if the media are watching her around the clock. "Still, I feel satisfied with my job so far."
Ohta ran in the gubernatorial election in February after she resigned her councilor post at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
With support from the Liberal Democratic Party's Tokyo headquarters, the Liberal Party, New Komeito and the Democratic Party of Japan, Ohta defeated two major candidates, one backed by the LDP's Osaka chapter and the other by the Japanese Communist Party.
"Of those who cheer me up on the streets, 90 percent are women," Ohta said. "Such encouragement really makes me happy."
As for future tasks, Ohta is placing priority on revitalizing industry through a program that she intends to submit to the September assembly session.
The first step will be to improve basic infrastructure by providing more computers to officials.
"We have on average only one personal computer for every four prefectural officials," she said. "This has to be improved."
Ohta praised the prefectural officials, saying they are more competent than she had thought.
"The prefectural officials have helped me considerably to draw up such programs as one for recharging industry. I think they are as good as a think tank," she said.