Japan Press Weekly

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2014 December 3 - 9 [JCP]

JCP has highest number of female candidates in general election

In this House of Representatives general election, among major political parties, the Japanese Communist Party is putting up the highest number of female candidates.

The number of JCP candidates running in single-seat constituencies and proportional representation blocs totals 315. Of them, 79 or 25.1% are women.

The JCP in its Party Program calls for a society where gender equality is fully achieved. With the aim to make women more visible in politics and other fields in society, the JCP since the 1960s has been making efforts to field female candidates in various elections at local and national levels. The JCP ranks first in the number of female local assemblymembers.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is using a slogan of promoting women’s empowerment. In accordance with this slogan, the LDP in its election manifesto promises to boost women’s participation in the political arena. However, the number of women in 352 LDP Lower House election candidates is 42 (11.9%). Although the Komei Party in its election promise also emphasizes the importance of women’s active role in the society, women account for 5.9% of all Komei candidates.

Looking at other political parties, the share of women among Democratic Party of Japan candidates stands at 14.6%, the Japan Innovation Party 10.7%, the Party for Future Generations 6.3%, the People’s Life Party 15.0%, and the Social Democratic Party 4.0%.

In Japan’s House of Representatives, women hold 8.1% of seats, the lowest among developed economies.