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Women in Japan
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Women in Japan
Women in Japan were recognized as having equal legal rights to men after World War II. Japanese women first gained the right to vote in 1880, but this was a temporary event limited to certain municipalities, and it was not until 1945 that women gained the right to vote on a permanent, nationwide basis.
Modern policy initiatives in Japan have aimed to promote both motherhood and women's participation in the workforce, but these efforts have yielded mixed results. Traditional gender expectations, especially for married women and mothers, still shape societal norms and create barriers to economic equality. While the gender income gap has gradually narrowed, it persists, with women earning less than men, particularly in leadership and high-paying roles. Factors such as occupational segregation, the concentration of women in part-time or non-regular jobs, and limited career advancement contribute to this gap.
In 2020, the high school enrollment rate of Japanese women was 95%, the same as that of Japanese men, and the combined enrollment rate for universities, colleges, and junior colleges was 58%, 1% higher than that of men. Despite higher educational attainment, societal expectations around caregiving still impact women's career progression and work-life balance. As a result, while academic progress is evident, significant gender inequality remains in various aspects of Japanese society.
The life expectancy of Japanese women is 87.14 years, the longest among women in any country, 6 years longer than that of Japanese men, 81.09 years.
In 2023, Japan ranked 23rd out of 177 countries on the Women, Peace and Security Index, which is based on 13 indicators of inclusion, justice, and security. In 2024, Japan ranked 22nd out of 193 countries on the Gender Inequality Index, which measures equality between men and women in sexual and reproductive health, empowerment and economic participation. On the other hand, Japan ranked a low 118th out of 146 countries on the Global Gender Gap Index. Japan was judged to have a small gender gap in education and health, but a large gap in political and economic participation, resulting in a lower ranking.
The extent to which women could participate in Japanese society has varied over time and social classes. In the 8th century, Japan had an empress, and in the 12th century during the Heian period, women in Japan could inherit property in their own names and manage it by themselves: "Women could own property, be educated, and were allowed, if discrete (sic), to take lovers."
From the late Edo period, the status of women declined. In the 17th century, the "Onna Daigaku", or "Learning for Women", by Confucianist author Kaibara Ekken, spelled out expectations for Japanese women, stating that "such is the stupidity of her character that it is incumbent on her, in every particular, to distrust herself and to obey her husband".
During the Meiji period, industrialization and urbanization reduced the authority of fathers and husbands, but at the same time the Meiji Civil Code of 1898 (specifically the introduction of the "ie" system) denied women legal rights and subjugated them to the will of household heads.
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Women in Japan
Women in Japan were recognized as having equal legal rights to men after World War II. Japanese women first gained the right to vote in 1880, but this was a temporary event limited to certain municipalities, and it was not until 1945 that women gained the right to vote on a permanent, nationwide basis.
Modern policy initiatives in Japan have aimed to promote both motherhood and women's participation in the workforce, but these efforts have yielded mixed results. Traditional gender expectations, especially for married women and mothers, still shape societal norms and create barriers to economic equality. While the gender income gap has gradually narrowed, it persists, with women earning less than men, particularly in leadership and high-paying roles. Factors such as occupational segregation, the concentration of women in part-time or non-regular jobs, and limited career advancement contribute to this gap.
In 2020, the high school enrollment rate of Japanese women was 95%, the same as that of Japanese men, and the combined enrollment rate for universities, colleges, and junior colleges was 58%, 1% higher than that of men. Despite higher educational attainment, societal expectations around caregiving still impact women's career progression and work-life balance. As a result, while academic progress is evident, significant gender inequality remains in various aspects of Japanese society.
The life expectancy of Japanese women is 87.14 years, the longest among women in any country, 6 years longer than that of Japanese men, 81.09 years.
In 2023, Japan ranked 23rd out of 177 countries on the Women, Peace and Security Index, which is based on 13 indicators of inclusion, justice, and security. In 2024, Japan ranked 22nd out of 193 countries on the Gender Inequality Index, which measures equality between men and women in sexual and reproductive health, empowerment and economic participation. On the other hand, Japan ranked a low 118th out of 146 countries on the Global Gender Gap Index. Japan was judged to have a small gender gap in education and health, but a large gap in political and economic participation, resulting in a lower ranking.
The extent to which women could participate in Japanese society has varied over time and social classes. In the 8th century, Japan had an empress, and in the 12th century during the Heian period, women in Japan could inherit property in their own names and manage it by themselves: "Women could own property, be educated, and were allowed, if discrete (sic), to take lovers."
From the late Edo period, the status of women declined. In the 17th century, the "Onna Daigaku", or "Learning for Women", by Confucianist author Kaibara Ekken, spelled out expectations for Japanese women, stating that "such is the stupidity of her character that it is incumbent on her, in every particular, to distrust herself and to obey her husband".
During the Meiji period, industrialization and urbanization reduced the authority of fathers and husbands, but at the same time the Meiji Civil Code of 1898 (specifically the introduction of the "ie" system) denied women legal rights and subjugated them to the will of household heads.
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