Japan Press Weekly

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2023 July 26 - August 1 TOP3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Female Dietmembers of opposition parties criticize LDP for being unwilling to work for gender-equal Japan

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Tamura Tomoko on July 26 attended a cross-party Dietmembers' meeting held toward the realization of a quota system.

Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Motegi Toshimitsu was present at the meeting which took place in the Diet building. Many female lawmakers from opposition parties criticized the ruling parties for being reluctant to address gender inequalities in Japan.

Motegi said that the LDP is working on a project so that 30% of LDP Dietmembers will be women within the next ten years. JCP Tamura promptly asked him, "Has your party set a goal of establishing a gender-equal Japan?" Tamura pointed out that only after the ruling parties set that goal can discussions regarding ways to boost women's participation in politics become deeper.

Advocating the conservatives' argument, "Japan's traditional family values will be destroyed," the LDP does not consider introducing a selective dual surname system. Because the use of maiden name is unavailable, some women even think of divorcing as a way to continue their careers.

Regarding this, Tamura stated that it is the ruling parties themselves who are not fully supporting the promotion of women's empowerment and depriving them of their opportunities. She demanded that the LDP and its ruling partner Komei Party reflect on why Japan continues to rank so low in the Global Gender Gap Index.

Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan member of the House of Councilors Tsujimoto Kiyomi pointed out that women account for 70% of non-regular workers and said, "The government adopted a policy aimed at 'equal pay for equal work', but that hasn't been working well so far."

In response to Motegi who said, "To increase the number of female lawmakers is important from the perspective of resolving the issue of the declining birthrate," Social Democratic Party head Fukushima Mizuho said, "The government gender-equality policies are always off the point. It is because the government regards gender equality as a solution to the falling birthrate." She added, "Our party will work together with other parties to explore ways to achieve gender equality, not in the context of reversing Japan's falling birthrate."

Past related article:
> Ousting patriarchy advocates from political stage needed to realize gender-equal Japan [ June 25, 2023]