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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

JCP proposes amendments to revision of equal opportunities law

The Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers Group and the JCP Women Committee on March 8 proposed amendments to the bill to revise the Equal Employment Opportunity Law for Men and Women. JCP Vice Chair Ishii Ikuko (House of Representatives member) announced the proposal at a news conference in the Diet.

Although the government bill shows some improvements such as placing a ban on treating women to their disadvantage for reasons of pregnancy and child birth, the proposed measures against non-verbal discrimination against women such as sexual harassment may not be effective because of the limited scope of the ban.

Today, full-time women employees are paid only 68 percent of what male workers receive. Under the government policy of deregulation of labor laws, more than a half of women workers are suffering from discrimination against them in wages and jobs.

The JCP proposal calls for an unconditional ban on non-verbal discrimination, with an explicit ban particularly on sexual harassment, as well as a ban on treatment putting women in a position to their disadvantage for reasons of pregnancy, child birth, and maternity leave. The JCP proposal states that corporations have the responsibility to prove that they have not discriminated against women workers. It also calls for an authorized body for relief against corporate offenses.
- Akahata, March 9, 2006