Masuzoe, while Governor of Tokyo, is reported as having joined in general laughter in response to several taunts by male members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly aimed at the female representative Ayaka Shiomura during a session of the Assembly on 18 June 2014. Shiomura was calling for more government assistance for women seeking to have children when she was met with heckles such as "You are the one who must get married as soon as possible" and "Can’t you even bear a child?"