Japan's new prime minister appointed only two women to his 20-strong cabinet on Tuesday, down from five previously, in what a rights group said represented a "backslide" in Tokyo's push for greater female representation in politics.
Shigeru Ishiba, who held off a challenge from a female rival to lead Japan's ruling party last week, picked Junko Mihara to take charge of children's policies and Toshiko Abe to oversee education.
A quarter of the previous cabinet of outgoing prime minister Fumio Kishida, who resigned in August partly due to a series of party scandals, were women, including the key post of foreign minister. That matched a record also reached in 2001 and 2014.
But that well below female representation seen in other Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies amid questions about a commitment by Japan's ruling party to raise the number of its female lawmakers from around 10% to 30% over the next decade.
"Going from five women cabinet members, which was already extremely low, to two, is a reflection of just how far Japan has to go in terms of women empowerment and equality," said Teppei Kasai, Asia program officer at Human Rights Watch. "In terms of the representation of women in the political arena, it's a clear backslide."
It remains to be seen how many female candidates the LDP will field in a snap election due on Oct 27.
The main opposition, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, announced a record eight women in its 20-strong shadow cabinet on Tuesday.
Despite the lack of women in Ishiba's cabinet, Kasai said he hoped the new premier would push ahead with more socially-progressive policies such as a campaign pledge to introduce a law that would allow married women to keep their maiden names.
Sanae Takaichi - who became the first woman to make the run-off in Friday's leadership contest - is a hardline conservative who opposed changes to the surname rules and was relatively unpopular among women voters, according to polls.
Yet her achievement in nearly reaching the top in Japan's male-dominated, traditional society should not be underestimated.
Japan ranked 118 out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum's 2024 gender gap report, up seven spots from the previous year but still the lowest among G7 countries.
The contrast with its G7 peers was on show in 2023 when Tokyo sent a male representative to an otherwise all-female meeting on women's empowerment in the Japanese city of Nikko.
Japan has had three women as foreign ministers but never a female finance minister or prime minister. Tokyo elected its first female governor in 2016.
Women make up around 10% of lawmakers in Japan's lower house, well below the average 30% across the Group of Seven advanced economies, according to a 2024 report.
The LDP hopes to nearly triple its proportion of women lawmakers to 30% in the next decade through steps such as offering babysitting arrangements and a fund to support female candidates.
Asked at a press conference on Monday how the LDP planned to implement this in the upcoming election, its newly-appointed election chief Shinjiro Koizumi said the party would "resolutely push on", without elaborating.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
47 Comments
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It is past time for woman to work harder and get the skills to contribute more.
Asiaman7
Ishiba is distrusted by many within the LDP for being an outspoken critic of the party and its past leaders, including Kishida and Abe.
Some still see him as a traitor for abandoning a sinking ship in 1993, when he left the LDP to join the Japan Renewal Party, and for telling Aso to step aside in 2008.
Jim
Japan gets a pass every time from the western countries for doing idiotic stuff such as this!
CAPTAIN
Let's be realistic here. Nobody expected this guy to be any different from the previous guys.
Burning Bush
Japan's overwhelmingly male cabinet underlines gender gap, again
Seems this new leader is doing his best to put people off.
It's about time Japan shook off
良妻賢母 mind set once and for all.
My wife still can't over the missed chance of a female leader.
fxgai
He can’t select women for cabinet if the voters haven’t elected them first, can he.
Moonraker
Let's be realistic here. Nobody expected this guy to be any different from the previous guys. -1 ( +2 / -3 )
And yet, within 10 minutes of your post 3 people did. I'd like to know how and why.
kurisupisu
One difference.
PM Ishiba is an avid model maker whereas the previous PMs were not.
Sanjinosebleed
Geez not many under 70 can half of them even use a mobile phone??
They are really keeping up with the times….NOT!
KariHaruka
Three things are guaranteed in Japanese politics.
Female representation is almost non-existent. The cabinet is made up of old men who are stuck in the Showa Era. The LDP will be in power.There is zero creativity in Japanese politics - And this is why Japan will remain stuck in the rut that it's found itself in both politically and economically.
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Michael Machida
Japan has been in an economic downfall for the last 35 years. And, this is why. No representation by women and tax international people who pay taxes. Good for you.
Mike_Oxlong
Punctuating the cosplay of the last four and one half years
fxgai
Surprised my comment was so heavily downvoted - it’s pretty much a statement of fact.
Ishiba can’t just appoint women lawmakers to cabinet of the voters haven’t elected them first.
Peter Neil
day two. hope he enjoyed yesterday.
it’s all downhill from now on.
dagon
The bigger problem is the overwhelming LDP membership of the government, more than gender.
Example, Sanae Takicihi who would clearly be no better than the rest of the gerontocracy.
The LDP are learning gender pandering is an effective distraction from extractive neo-feudal policies toward the working populace.
Sven Asai
It's maybe more the fact that women candidate less or have less interest in politics in general. Also, they should learn the more hidden details of elections or parliamentary processes. For example, yesterday was the formal election of PM Ishiba, right? So what had hindered Ms Takaichi or any other woman parliamentarian to candidate too, against him? In this example, she lost the inner LDP election, but had another chance now to become PM. Chances were high and always are high also for a sudden unexpected other outcome, and then a woman who won such a formal election could of course name female ministers. The same or similar in all smaller election districts or local parliaments throughout the whole country when there are only a few or sometimes even only one male candidate. It all might sound theoretical, yes, but those chances are real and often quite big. It's not those 'old Showa' men's failure if women don't grab their big chances. They just only simply have to inform themselves and then to candidate.
Mr Kipling
Not much diversity at all. Only two women and ALL are Asian. No disabled, no ethnic minorities, no Trans or LGBT.
burgers and beers
"The contrast with its G7 peers was on show in 2023 when Tokyo sent a male representative to an otherwise all-female meeting on women's empowerment in the Japanese city of Nikko."
That really was comedy gold. Still remember the photo here on JT of that dude surrounded by the all women crowd at that meeting. Priceless.
SDCA
It really doesn't matter to me who is represented in the cabinet as long as the job is done. I don't need quotas, I just want Japan to thrive. The time, energy and resources it takes to meet quotas can be directed towards improving the lives of citizens, not towards the mascots in the cabinet.
Some dude
"Hey, we put a couple of chicks in the cabinet to tick the diversity boxes, what else do you want?"
Blacklabel
Lack of competency is the problem, not lack of “diversity”
zulander
Diversity is not a "strength". It is window dressing.
As long as they are competent why does it matter ?
Either way, I am not sure there was even a competent pool to choose from.
zulander
Care to provide some details for that rather arbitrary link?
finally rich
The kindergarten my son attends doesn't have a single male staff, I wonder why... but I think it's about time to tackle this problem!
Moonraker
"Surprised my comment was so heavily downvoted - it’s pretty much a statement of fact. Ishiba can’t just appoint women lawmakers to cabinet of the voters haven’t elected them first."
You have to put yourself in the shoes of some touchy LDP/ electorate supporters who see in that that you are portraying the voters as deficient or backward.
grund
Isn't the same people as the last cabinet? I feel like I recognize a lot of the people in the picture.
The lack of women is of course an issue, but isn't age also an issue? Looking at the picture I think there is about two people who are not receiving an old age pension.
toto_kiboko
Looking back at the run off vote of the LDP party. It was between a male and a female. The female was clearly the favourite as she topped the first round. However, in the final vote, guess what, the majority of the members who voted were… and the winner was… is the cabinet composition now a surprise?
virusrex
So against blatant gender inequalities your solution is for the population at a disadvantage to work even harder? it would be much more productive for individuals to be rewarded with positions that reflect their efforts in equal manner.
This may be because people already understand the problem is not letting women be elected (mostly by not including them as candidates).
Diversity aims to reflect the general population from where the people are being included, not just meaningless variation.
Competency in general for the politicians could be, as an explanation for the gender bias it is lacking.
Experts in social matters completely contradict you, they have much better arguments than just not understanding the issues.
smithinjapan
No surprise why Japan ranks... what?... 144 out of 150 in world nations in gender equality?
Mark
everyone is chosen based on merit and ability, not base on gender! please dont be female chauvinist and stop acting like princess complaining jumping and yelling around
The Original Wing
I won't pretend to be informed about the qualifications/skills of the wide range of politicians across the highest levels of the government.
But I don't think that the Cabinet ought to be the measuring stick of gender equality. We ought to be looking at the LOWEST levels of government in order to properly assess whether any progress is happening.
Regarding the Cabinet, the Prime Minister ought to be choosing the most qualified people for those important positions, period. These are extremely important roles that should not be given out casually in order to make a public statement about gender equality. Women are severely underrepresented across all levels of the government, so it makes sense that the CURRENT most qualified candidates for Cabinet positions today are mostly men. It's just a numbers game, and a result of past gender inequality.
The proper way forward isn't to force unqualified women into current Cabinet positions. It's to develop and promote effective female politicians at the lowest levels of government, and then over time they will make their way up the ranks, and become FUTURE Cabinet members.
It's a process that will require time. Unfortunately, patience doesn't make good headlines.
Jonathan Prin
Junko Mihara, in charge of children's policies, has no children.
She is a former singer, actress and racing driver, all best qualifications we know to become the best knowlegeable politician in the area she was identifies for.
Demography sure is going to get boosted (sarcasm).
I believe the problem about women in Japan is both qualification and patriarchy at the same time.
Don't change my words. There are very qualified women but they remain in the shadow because men are afraid of them.
Jonathan Prin
There are few very women to pick from I am sure but not enough to become the new normal, and thus face bias.
リッチ
Why is she wearing a kimono when they are wearing suits? Isn’t she also continuing the stereotype? I know it’s formal dress but the men are choosing suits not kimono’s so if she wants to be equal doesn’t she need to dress the part also.
Mr Kipling
"You need someone to make the tea and bring in the snacks. Two should be enough. Any more and the meetings would drag on s they never stop talking".
Was probably the decision making process.
fluffy_canyons
Coz play the in Japan sure is popular
kohakuebisu
You get downvoted because it implies Japanese women share responsibility for the way Japan is. It is easier to blame "the LDP" for everything and not the people who consistently elect them. Young women outvote young men up to about the age of 55. One house is elected by PR, so more female candidates, or a woman's party, could be elected if women and men wanted it. Severely disabled people representing the Reiwa party and that anti NHK guy have been elected. It is undeniably possible.
Claiming that Japanese women are simply victims is to underestimate them and deny them agency. I detect a lingering smell of Orientalism about it.
Geeter Mckluskie
What is the ratio of women to men in politics? It seems that photo reflects it...
Garthgoyle
Guy on the bottom right of the top photo looks like he's about to have a heart attack any moment soon.
virusrex
Because the lowest levels are the most competed? What kind of progress do you think would be achieved if only the least desired positions are being left for women? The point is to see if equality is achieved precisely where it matters the most, not where it is easiest to get.
Of course this argument completely depends on the assumption that women are less competent, so the difference is justified. With the assumption that capacity is not dependent on gender (and there is no evidence of a difference) then it becomes obvious that having only one at the top level means there is unjustified discrimination.
Which is the problem that needs to be solved, nobody is saying only the top level should be corrected but instead that the whole system changed to avoid the obvious discrimination.
Which is solved by not automatically assuming the reason they are not in a position is because of not being unqualified.
The only one assuming this is a problem solved by skipping all necessary steps and only make the cabinet adequate is you. For anybody with common sense the headline simply reflects an easy to understand situation of invalid discrimination that has been prolonged even when the government promised to work on it since many years ago. Saying that it will take time is not the big argument you think it is when it has already been considered an important problem for a long time as well.
Roten
Education and children's policies? Two traditional women's roles. If the two women were the Foreign and Finance ministers, it might help mitigate the situation when the election comes around later in the month. Health and welfare would be additional traditional women's roles.
I hope that women vote the LDP out of power for this major retrenchment.
purple_depressed_bacon
Tell the people to conform to gender norms without telling to conform to gender norms. If my eyes rolled any harder, they'd fall out of their sockets.
Aoi Azuuri
male politicians, and female politicians who are obedient to paternalism or Abe-believeres.
Also, new minister of justice is one of far-rights who want labeling criticism to LDP "conspiracy of neighboring countries" without showing basis, he and other cabinet members still have been pointed out deep relation with Unification Church cult.
Moonraker
We still await at least one passive-aggressive LDP supporter to tell us how this time will be different.
carpslidy
In many countries politics is a Jon your are inspired to do
In Japan it is a job you're born into.
Hopefully this is the last generation of this
4123
Many female politicians LDP have chosen are problematic such as Rui Matsukawa or Eriko Imai who enjoy overseas travel with taxpayers money, Mio Sugita who frequently repeats discrimination remarks.
okochat
Thats all good.
Besides, women come with their own gender buggages and stress
Let the leaders stay misculine.
Every body has their role.