July 19, 2024

Japanese Communist Party Chair Tamura Tomoko on July 18 received a visit from Belgian Ambassador to Japan Antoine Evrard at the JCP head office in Tokyo.

The meeting took place in response to Evrard’s request, as ambassador of a country that is vigorously committed to gender equality, to meet with the first female chair of the JCP.

The ambassador congratulated Tamura on her position as JCP chair, saying that it is important for women to participate in the political decision-making process.

Tamura spoke of the reality in Japan which is far from realizing gender equality as shown in the existing gender pay gap and the old-fashioned family values based on patriarchy. She stated that Japan should have more female Dietmembers and place gender equality as a central task of national politics, while explaining the JCP efforts to achieve a gender equal Japan.

The ambassador explained that Belgium has a quota system and that 44% of its parliamentarians are women, with the goal of making it 50%.