I think the clearest example of Japan’s low gender equality is in the area of political empowerment.
The number of women in political decision-making roles is significantly low compared to other countries.
That being said, we sometimes see a few female politicians appointed to important positions.
But unfortunately, many people view those appointments with a bit of cynicism.
Some say, ‘It’s just for show’ or ‘They’re just trying to gain popularity from the public.’
So even when women are promoted to important positions, it’s often seen as a performance by male dominated government rather than a meaningful step toward real change.
This suggests that people don't believe women can be appointed to important positions unless there's some hidden motive behind it. But in a sense, such a view is actually disrespectful to the female ministers themselves, especially those who are highly skilled and genuinely motivated to make a difference.
So we could say the Japanese public also shares some responsibility for political gender inequality, when it comes to not trusting female ministers' ability.
Japan’s gender gap is also very noticeable in the workplace.
One major issue is the wage disparity between men and women.
I heard that the ‘equal pay for equal work’ rule was introduced a few years ago, but in reality, many women still receive lower pay than their male counterparts, or have to accept lower status and lower paying jobs.
Another problem is the lack of women in management.
Just like in politics, female employees often aren’t given the opportunity to take on leadership roles, which makes it hard for them to fully demonstrate their skills and potential in business.
And having a baby is a major obstacle for many women when it comes to promotion.
Sometimes, just returning to the job they had before having a baby is already a big challenge for them.
Even if they want to continue their careers, they often face difficulties such as lack of childcare support,
long working hours, or even subtle pressure from their workplace.
This discourages many women from staying in the workforce, especially in full-time or career-track positions.
In the end, many are forced to give up their original career paths and settle for less stable jobs.
Because of this situation, I think many women tend to be conservative or hesitant when it comes to promotion.
As a result, the number of women in managerial or highly specialized positions remains low, not necessarily because of a lack of ability, but because the system doesn’t support long-term career development for working mothers.
People often criticize the government, work culture, and even family structures, saying they’re too conservative and patriarchal.
But in a way, I think we ourselves might also be stuck in the mindset that men should always come first.
Maybe without realizing it, we’ve accepted that idea as normal, which makes it harder to change things.
On the other hand, I also find it a bit strange that, while many people talk about gender equality, our society still offers a lot of services that are only for women, like women’s day, a service only for women. but there aren’t many equivalent services for men.
One good example is the women-only train car. It was introduced to protect women from gropers on crowded trains, and I think it’s really helpful because it allows women to feel safer during their commute.
But at the same time, some people question this system, saying, “Having women-only train cars simply reduces the number of cars available for men, which feels unfair. So if there’s a car only for women, then there should be one for men.”
So even if we talk about gender equality, our actions and attitudes don’t always match.
Changing the system is important, but changing our mindset is just as necessary.
