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

Bill to revise equal opportunity law fails to eradicate gender discrimination in workplaces

A bill to revise the Equal Employment Opportunity Law for Men and Women was unanimously approved by the House of Councilors Health, Labor, and Welfare Committee on April 27. The bill proposes banning employers from firing women for reasons of pregnancy or child birth, but it stopped short of prohibiting employers from practicing "indirect discrimination" that puts women at a disadvantage.

Japanese Communist Party representative Koike Akira took the floor prior to the vote and criticized the bill for allowing employers to maintain a dual track "personnel management system" that places male employees on a "career track" and female employees on a "non-career track."

The JCP and the Social Democratic Party jointly submitted an amendment to the bill to prohibit "indirect discrimination" on the grounds of gender and to clearly stipulate a ban on wage discrimination against women, but it was rejected by the Liberal Democratic Party, the Komei Party, and the Democratic Party of Japan.

In support of the amendment, Koike stated, "As in most cases wage inequality caused by 'indirect discrimination' is called into question, and a ban on wage discrimination must be stipulated in the law in order to solve these cases."
- Akahata, April 28, 2006