Top > Foreign Policy > Human Rights > Fourth Periodic Report by the Government of Japan under Article 40 Paragraph 1(b) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights > II. Information on Individual Articles of The Covenant (Article 3)

II. Information on Individual Articles of The Covenant

Article 3

National Machinery for the Promotion of Gender Equality

(a) Organizational Changes: Replacing the " Headquarters for the Planning and Promoting of Policies Relating to Women" with the " Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality"

As is stated in the Third Periodic Report, the " Headquarters for the Planning and Promoting of Policies Relating to Women" was established in 1975 as the national machinery to promote comprehensive and effective policies for women. It was presided over by the Prime Minister and composed of administrative Vice-Ministers and the equivalent of all ministries and agencies. The Headquarters was primarily engaged in the formulation of national plans of action for the advancement of women.

After having considered requests from various domestic and international circles to strengthen this national machinery, a cabinet decision was taken on July 12, 1994 to replace the " Headquarters for the Planning and Promoting of Policies Relating to Women" with the " Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality" . The Prime Minister serves as President, the Minister of State and Chief Cabinet Secretary as Vice President and all other Cabinet Ministers serve as members, instead of the previous Vice-Ministers. The new Headquarters is expected to promote measures, which encourage smooth and effective formation of a society based on gender equality. The Headquarters has taken over and continues to promote the " New National Plan of Action Towards the Year 2000(First Revision)" formulated in 1991. (For details of this plan, please refer to the Third Periodic Report).

The Council for Gender Equality and the Office for Gender Equality were newly established within the Prime Minister's Office on June 24, 1994. The Prime Minister consulted with the Council on June 24, 1994 on the " Over-all Vision of a Gender-Equal Society Toward the 21st Century." The Council submitted its report entitled " The Vision for Gender Equality" to the Prime Minister on July 30, 1996, after having examined various national opinions and views as well as international trends, such as those of the " Platform for Action" adopted by the " Fourth World Conference on Women" . This report, taking into account the socio-economic changes Japan is undergoing, establishes the path, which should be followed, to realize a gender-equal society by about the year 2010. The main objectives of the above report are:

  • To construct a gender free social system;
  • To establish gender equality in the workplace, home and community;
  • To promote gender equality in decision-making processes;
  • To reinforce efforts to promote and protect the right to live gender free;
  • To contribute to the " equality, development and peace" of communities;
  • To clearly define such efforts and accordingly improve and strengthen the organization and functions of the national machinery; and
  • To strengthen partnership and cooperation among the Government, local public bodies and NGOs.

(b) Appointment of Minister for Women's Affairs

When the Miyazawa Cabinet was reshuffled in December 1992, the Chief Cabinet Secretary was appointed as Minister for Women's Affairs. Since August 1993, the Chief Cabinet Secretaries have continued to be appointed to this post. The minister is responsible for the comprehensive promotion of women's issues through the coordination of each administrative jurisdiction's duties. The minister has headed various activities thus far.

Women's Participation in Decision-making Processes

With regard to Japanese women's participation in public affairs, the number of female Diet members is indicated in Figure 1 and the positions held by women in the Diet are listed in Figure 2.

Based on the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies, the above-mentioned " New National Plan of Action Toward the Year 2000, (First Revision)" stated that the ratio of women members in national advisory councils and other committees should be drastically increased, in order for more women to participate in decision-making processes in Japan. It was decided in concrete terms that the ratio should be increased to an overall 15% level by March 1996. The ratio stood at 15.5% by the end of that month and the target has therefore been achieved (for the number of women appointed as members of national councils and other committees refer to Figures 5 and 6). With the initial target thus reached, the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality decided on May 21, 1996 that: " Our further efforts should continue to be directed towards the promotion of women's participation in decision-making processes, so that we can attain the international target level of 30% in about 10 years time. For the moment, efforts will be made to attain a 20% representation ratio as soon as possible and before the end of the year 2000."

Employment Measures for Women

(a) Japanese Women's Employment Situation

Ten years have passed since the " Equal Employment Opportunity Law" went into effect. In the meantime, companies have improved personnel management and the spirit of the law has been steadily disseminated within Japanese society. Women, for example, have been assigned to an increasing range of duties. Nearly 50% of companies have adopted the idea of assigning women to duties fitting their ability and aptitude in the same way as they do with men. The number of women holding managerial positions has also increased. In approximately 60% of companies, women hold the position of section chief, equivalent or higher (refer to Figure 3). On the other hand, about 50% of companies with smaller number of women holding managerial positions, quote as reason for the situation that " the company has no women with the knowledge, experience, judgment and other ability required for the positions." The discriminatory compulsory retirement system and the system forcing women to retire because of marriage, pregnancy or childbirth have been formally dissolved.

With regard to gender equality in the employment of national public service personnel, Japan abolished restrictions on women's eligibility to take the national public service examination by amending the regulations of the National Personnel Authority. At present, there are no gender restrictions on women taking the national public service examination (general positions), or being hired and so on (for the ratio of women among national public service personnel in managerial positions, refer to Figure 4).

(b) Measures to promote adherence to the Equal Employment Opportunity Law

The Women's and Young Worker's Offices, the local branches of the Ministry of Labour at prefectural level, address the practices of personnel management for women, such as recruitment, hiring, assignment or promotion. They educate, consult or instruct employers for better system, as well as assist them in the settlement of individual disputes. These activities are aimed at further promoting adherence to the " Equal Employment Opportunity Law" and at realizing personnel management which keeps with the purpose of the Law. Specifically, the Women's and Young Worker's Offices annually receive as many as 20,000 requests for consultation from women's workers, employers and other parties. The offices strictly instruct those companies having problems under the " Equal Employment Opportunity Law" . Moreover, they periodically inquire in various companies into the personnel management for women. If problems are found, they firmly demand that the companies take corrective measures. Furthermore, they encourage companies to make individual efforts to improve personnel management in keeping with the " Equal Employment Opportunity Law" .

(c) Child Rearing and Care for the Family

The Government should promote policies that can enable women and men with family responsibilities, to harmonize their working life with family life. This is especially the case in Japan, where a low birthrate, ageing of society and nuclear families have become the norm and where child rearing and care for the family have become significant considerations for workers, who wish to continue working. The " Child-care Leave Law" was therefore introduced in 1991. The law recognizes the right to child care leave for workers with children of less than one year of age.

According to a survey conducted in 1993 (Ministry of Labour's " Survey on Women Worker's Employment Management 1993" ; sample size of 8,000 companies all over Japan), the ratio of female workers, who gave birth to a child between 1 April 1992 to the end of March 1993, and who took child-care leave was 48.1% (the rate for male workers was 0.02%). Furthermore, the 1995 amendment to the " Child-care Leave Law" has not only established a system of leave for taking care of the family legally, but also included measures to be taken by the Government and other organs to support male and female workers, who must take care of family members. In addition, by ensuring these child-care leave systems, the Government provides measures to create an environment in which workers can easily take child care or family-care leave, and thus implements policies which will assist workers easily to reconcile work with family in a comprehensive and systematic manner. Moreover, the " Convention concerning Equal Opportunities and Equal Treatment for Men and Women Workers: Workers with Family Responsibilities (ILO Convention 156)" was ratified by Japan on 9 June 1995.

International Cooperation

(a) Women in Development (WID) Initiative

Japan delivered a speech at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, which stressed the following three points:

  • The empowerment of women;
  • Respect for the human rights of women and the promotion of partnership between men and women, the Government and NGOs, and;
  • Partnership across international borders.

At the same time, with the announcement of Japan's " WID Initiative" as an international contribution to the empowerment of women, Japan expressed her intention to continue efforts to expand development assistance, paying attention especially to the three priority areas of women's education, health and economic and social participation.

In taking this initiative, Japan extends official development assistance (ODA), giving consideration to women's empowerment and gender equality at all stages of women's lives, including schooling, work, giving birth, as well as economic and social participation.

(b) Contributions to UNIFEM for the Elimination of Violence against Women

The issue of violence against women is a serious problem, as it was taken up at the " Fourth World Conference on Women" as one of the critical areas of concern. Japan submitted in 1995 at the 50th session of the General Assembly a resolution, which calls for the establishment of a trust fund within UNIFEM, to address issues of violence against women. This action was taken as a positive contribution to this issue which deserves the united efforts by the international community, and as a follow-up to the " Platform for Action" adopted at the " Fourth World Conference on Women" . This resolution was adopted by consensus, and Japan is prepared to contribute her due share to the fund.

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