2022 Survey of Initiatives to Promote Women's Political Participation and Advancement in Japan
PART II: Initiatives to Promote Women's Political Participation and Advancement
Hifumi Tajima, Chief Program Officer, JCIE/Japan
This is the second part of a survey conducted as reference materials for the 2022 US-Japan Women Leaders Dialogue of the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE). A portion of the information included here has been reprinted from the 2020 Directory of Women’s Organizations in Japan with permission from the ICHIKAWA Fusae Center for Women and Governance (as indicated at the end of each relevant description). Information on other organizations has been gathered from the internet and has not yet been confirmed with each organization.
The Miura-Shin report introduced in Part I discusses the current situation in Japan, noting, “In recent years, political parties have set up political courses and schools for the purpose of finding new candidates, and are trying to strengthen their recruiting functions, but they are not yet able to provide systematic training. In the first place, there is no systematic building up of parliamentary training programs in Japan…”
In Japan, many NPO groups are working on themes such as gender, human rights, workplace issues, media and women, professional groups, domestic violence, child-rearing, single mothers, child poverty, constitutional and civil law revisions, peacekeeping, and support for women in Asia and Africa. The 2020 Directory of Women’s Organizations in Japan includes 94 such organizations. For the purposes of this report, however, we have focused on organizations carrying out specific and direct activities to promote women’s political participation. We have organized these into the following six categories:
pioneers in the promotion of women’s political participation
politician training and initiatives to elect women to the Diet and local assemblies
advocacy for laws and policies to promote women’s political participation
political party activities to promote women’s political participation
politician networks
initiatives to deepen interest in politics among the next generation of women leaders
While this list is by no means exhaustive, it is hoped that it will be a useful tool for promoting women’s political participation in the future.
Part I of this survey was published in the report of the 2022 US-Japan Women Leaders Dialogue, Moving the Needle on Gender Equity through US-Japan Collaboration.
(Listed by year of establishment)
1. Pioneers in the promotion of women's political participation
公益財団法人 日本女性学習財団
Address:
Nihon Joshi Kaikan, 2-6-8 Shiba Koen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0011
Tel:
03-3434-7575 Fax: 03-3434-8082
Website:
https://www.jawe2011.jp/outline/index.html
Established:
1941
Representative:
Yasuko Muramatsu, President
Objective of Establishment:
Contribute to the promotion of lifelong learning and next generation development aimed at establishing a gender-equal society.
History:
The Nihon Joshi Kaikan was built in 1937 with donations from members of the Federation of Young Women’s Associations of Japan and Federation of Women’s Associations of Japan, as well as grants from the Imperial Household and houses of Imperial princes. In 1941, the Nihon Joshi Kaikan was established as an incorporated foundation. When it merged with the Association for Social Education in 1945, the new organization became the Dai-Nihon Womenʼs Association for Social Education. It was later renamed the Japan Womenʼs Association for Social Education in 1972. In April 2011, the organization transitioned from an incorporated foundation to a public interest incorporated foundation, which it remains today.
Activities:
Triggered by the UN International Women’s Year in 1975, the association aimed for “female participation in society, gender equality, and women’s independence”. Ever since the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing Conference), activities have focused on empowerment of women and support for women to participate in society as follows. 1) Research projects, 2) human capital development programs, 3) information resources, and 4) liaison and support for related organizations, all aimed at women’s lifelong learning and development of the next generation. In addition, the association seeks reports on research and practical implementations from broad fields for the achievement of a gender-equal society, presenting the “Japan Association for Womenʼs Education Future Award” for the most outstanding reports. Finally, the association also engages in leasing of the space of Nihon Joshi Kaikan building.
Annual Budget:
¥150 million (2021)
Publication:
Monthly magazine “We learn” for Gender Equality
Officers:
President: Yasuko Matsumura
Managing Director: Shunichi Fujii（Executive Director・Secretary General）
Board of Directors: Reiko Aoki and 9 others
2. Politician training and initiatives to elect women to the Diet and local assemblies
全国市民政治ネットワーク
Address:
ASK Building, 2-19-13 Kabuki-Cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0021
Website:
https://local-party.net
Established:
May 1977
Objective of Establishment:
Network of local political parties brought together by the common ideal of sharing the work of expanding better community life and politics.
History:
A social movement started in 1977 by the Seikatsu Club Consumers’ Co-operative, whose membership (centered on greater Tokyo) had expanded to 230,000 people by that time. Consumers, taxpayers, and ordinary citizens from various sectors of daily life formed a network to launch a movement aimed at getting people into local assemblies, to participate in politics on behalf of individual stakeholders. When they first started out, the actions were referred to as a “Proxy Movement” (or Network Movement).
Activities:
1. Parliamentarian privilege and lengthy terms of office for parliamentarians, who hold vast information and power, can give rise to vested interests and thus contribute to the corruption of politics. For this reason, the assembly members, who come from a national network of affiliated bodies, switch after two to three terms.
2. Each network campaigns for individual political donations to stamp out concession politics. Assembly members take the initiative to make donations to the network according to the law from their remuneration and disclose the flow of money. Those funds make it possible for regular citizens, stakeholders and women who otherwise have no access to funds to stand as candidates.
3. Change the “political culture” through participatory politics
4. Biennial national exchange assembly
5. Branches in 25 prefectures
3. Advocacy for Laws and Policies to Promote Women's Political Participation
クオータ制を推進する会（Qの会）
Address:
Room 725, 2-23-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053
Tel:
090-4529-4634(Ms Sato) Fax: 03-5304-7876
Email:
q-book2013@bpw-japan.jp
FB:
https://www.facebook.com/quota.japan/
Established:
June 2012
Representative:
Ryoko Akamatsu, President
Objective of Establishment:
Despite the government establishing a “goal of women in 30% of all leadership positions in various spheres of society by 2020”, even in terms of political participation which should be at the vanguard of such change in society, only 10% of parliamentarians are women. In the judiciary, government, and private organizations as well, very few women participate in decision-making. The Association aims to introduce legislation that it is time to introduce a quota system in Japan.
History:
In the autumn of 2011, WIN WIN Representative Ryoko Akamatsu reached out to core nationwide
women’s organizations, and the eight that responded joined WIN WIN in early 2012 for a liaison conference to prepare for the association’s establishment. In addition to deciding on the name Association to Promote Gender Quotas (Association Q), they commenced activities such as paying visits to the Minister of State for Gender Equality and the people responsible for women’s policies within each political party. The association’s conventions were agreed to in early 2013.
Activities:
1. Hold meetings inside the Diet to appeal to Upper and Lower House parliamentarians. These meetings are held at any opportunity under the slogan “Women in Half the Seats!!”
2. Hold study groups to explore the possibilities for legal quota systems
3. Jointly convening the National Women’s Education Center (NWEC) Forum on the Promotion of Gender Equality with NWEC
4. Publish newsletter
Bulletin:
Association to Promote Gender Quotas News Letter (publishes as needed)
Officers:
President: Ryoko Akamatsu
Advisor: Mari Miura (Professor, Sophia University), Reiko Ooyama (Professor, Komazawa University)
Officers: Yoko Abe, Eiko Ishige, Tamiko Okura, Reiko Kaminaga, Sachiko Kawahashi, Yoko
Kunihiro, Toshiko Saito, Chisato Sato, Masako Hiramatsu, Yumiko Makishima, Emiko Yazawa, Maya Yamazaki
4. Political Party Activities to Promote Women’s Political Participation
自由民主党女性局・女性未来塾
Address:
1-11-23 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8910
Tel:
03-3581-6211 (Main) Fax: 03-5511-8888
LDP Women’s Affairs Division -421620471342703
TW:
@joseikyoku
Website:
http://women.jimin.jp/
FB:
https://www.facebook.com/
Established:
Nov 15, 1955 (Future Leadership Program started in 2018)
Representative:
Hanako Jimi, Director (First Director: Hideko Mogami）
Objective of Establishment and Activities:
The division works to maintain liberty and democracy, uphold a free society, and improve welfare and stability in people’s lives, based on the party’s fundamental platform. Affiliated female party members are constantly striving for self-improvement, working to raise political awareness and proactively offering their opinions while working to develop the division’s ongoing activities in keeping with the times.
Activities Plan for 2021
1. Expand the strength of the party and strengthen women’s organizations: election campaign strategy for the next general election; support female parliamentarians at all levels, help discover and support new candidates, and promote women’s political participation; listen earnestly to people’s voices and act to reflect them in various policy measures.
2. Actions to protect the lives of women and children: strengthening of activities for women’s participation and advancement of health; child abuse prevention– continuation of the “Happy Orange Movement”; development of support for child-rearing and education, the elderly and aged care, and disabled persons, including measures to fight poverty; support for disaster-struck regions and the promotion of disaster preparedness and disaster reduction measures from the perspective of women and ordinary citizens.
3. “Women’s Future” Cram School (lectures and seminars held regularly with guest speakers/politicians in which discussions are also held)
Membership Fee:
¥4,000 (Annual)
Admission Policy:
A person of Japanese nationality, 18 years of age or older, who sympathizes with the principles, platform, and policies of the LDP.
Current State:
47 Prefectural branch associations
Bulletin:
Weekly Liberal Democracy (Tabloid size 12P)
Monthly Women’s Magazine Liburu (AB size 70P)
Women’s Affairs Division Officers:
Director: Hanako Jimi
Acting Director: Akiko Honda, Hayato Suzuki
Deputy Director: 16 (as of Jan 2022)
5. Politician Networks
全国フェミニスト議員連盟
Address:
c/o Ms Masako Ito, 1-204 Green Commons Kawagoe, 5-5-3 Isehara-cho, Kawagoe, Saitama 350-1108
Tel ＆ Fax:
049-233-8034
E-mail:
info17@afer-fem.org
FB:
Search for “Alliance of Feminist Representatives”
Website:
http://www.afer.jp/
Established:
Feb 15, 1992
Representative:
Yoshiko Maeda, Kaoru Masuda, Chairs (First Chair: Mariko Mitsui, Satomi Nakajima）
Objective of Establishment and Activities:
The objective is to increase the number of female parliamentarians and build a society in which women’s voices are reflected in policy. The group will release statements whenever an incident involves women’s issues and regularly petition the government and political parties demanding female participation in policymaking circles. It holds symposiums, summer seminars for policy studies, and power-up seminars. The group conducts surveys on gender equality and female participation, publishes reports, and presents the findings. It publishes the bulletin AFER.
Activities Plan for 2021:
1. To eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, promote initiatives in various regions to get the Optional Protocol of CEDAW ratified
2. To achieve the principles laid out in the Act on Promotion of Gender Equality in the Political Field, demand a quota system be enforced within each political party and organization and petition for 50% women in the party executive and in parliament.
3. Given the impossibility of achieving the goal of 30% women in leadership positions by 2020 as laid out in the Fourth Basic Plan for Gender Equality, spread the idea of neither sex having less than 40% in any policymaking venue as a measure for gender equality.
4. Work to discover, support, and build networks with possible candidates to avoid parliaments with no women
5. Be proactive about disseminating information through the AFER bulletin and home page and expanding membership
6. Use mailing lists and other methods for information exchange and interaction between members
7. Hold summer seminars, training sessions, and symposiums for the empowerment of women
8. Participate in Association Q initiatives and collaborate with other organizations promoting women’s participation in politics
9. Gather and disseminate domestic and foreign information to counter backlash of gender balance
Budget:
Approximately ¥3.11 million
Annual Membership Fee:
Member of the Diet: ¥10,000
Town and village councillors: ¥5,000
Citizens: ¥5,000
Admission Policy:
Citizens and members of the Diet (non-partisan) who agree with the purpose and activities of this alliance
Current State:
200 members and subscribers
Bulletin:
Quarterly AFER
Remarks:
To plan and organize international forums. Gather information from and collaborate with women’s movements in other countries and international women’s action groups.
Officers:
Advisor: Misako Iwamoto, Shigeki Uno, Mari Miura
Chair: Yoshiko Maeda, Kaoru Masuda
Accountant: Emiko Otsuka, Hinata Misako
Secretariat: Masako Ito, Taeko Koiso
Auditor: Noriko Higuchi, Noriko Higuchi, Mariko Murakoshi
Public Relations: Yoko Nomura
International Relations: Keiko Kusaka
(Term of office: until 2022 General Assembly)
6. Initiatives to Deepen Interest in Politics among the Next Generation of Women Leaders
学生団体ivote
Website:
http://i-vote.jp/
Established:
April 2008
Representative:
Kaito Yada, President (3 rd Year student of International Political Economy, Aoyama Gakuin University）
Objective of Establishment:
Aim to increase voter turnout among youth to ensure reflection of youth opinions in politics.
History:
In 2008, created “ivote” and started information sharing through blog.
Activities:
1. Activities to reduce the distance between politics and youth.
2. Operate group’s own website: ivote Media (http://ivote-media.jp/)
3. Hold online events.
4. Hold “Izakaya ivote” dialogue programs for get-togethers with National Diet members and local politicians.
5. Publish election gazette Yawaraka Senkyo Koho (Gentle Election Gazette), and other publications.
6. Hold mock elections at elementary, junior high and high schools.
Bulletin:
ivote Media (http://ivote-media.jp/)
Officers:
President: Kaito Yamada (3rd year student of International Political Economy, Aoyama Gakuin University)
Vice President: Nonoka Koizumi (1st year student, Faculty of Law, Chuo University)
Secretary-General: Tomohiro Niwa (2nd year student of Human Sciences I, the University of Tokyo)
Director of Public Relations: Kasane Kobayashi (3rd year student of faculty of literature, Taisho University)
17 members (As of May 2020)
