Updated:2024-10-30 04:17 Views:157
This photo taken on October 22, 2024 shows Kaori Ishikawa, an assemblywoman in Hitachi city, posing during an interview with AFP at her house in Hitachi city, Ibaraki Prefecture. Agence France-Presse
TOKYO — A record number of women have been elected to Japan’s house of representatives, projections showed Monday, but at less than 16 percent they remain a minority.
Public broadcaster NHK projected that women had won 73 of 465 lower house seats up for grabs, figures expected to be confirmed in official results later in the day.
Article continues after this advertisementIn Japan’s 2021 general election some 45 women were elected to the lower house.
FEATURED STORIES GLOBALNATION Human trafficking rap filed vs. Harry Roque, 2 others GLOBALNATION Persons of interest identified in Zamboanga abduction of US Citizen GLOBALNATION What if Donald Trump loses?READ: Women fight Tokyo election in male-dominated Japan
The broadcaster and other outlets had previously reported that a record number of women were running in the election, accounting for around a quarter of candidates.
Article continues after this advertisementWomen leaders are still rare in business and politics in Japan, which ranked 118 out of 146 in the 2024 World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report.
Article continues after this advertisementPrime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s 20-strong cabinet includes just two women.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: Japan votes with new PM on shaky ground
In Japan, “political parties are male-oriented and not open-minded, so it’s difficult to find female candidates”, Momoko Nojo, head of the organization No Youth No Japan, said last month ahead of the ruling party leadership vote.
Article continues after this advertisement“Many women also take on care work at home, which makes it difficult for them to be a politician,” added Nojo, who also runs a project to encourage and support women and minorities to enter politics.
A cabinet office survey conducted in 2021 found that among women electoral candidates in Japan, one in four reported facing sexual harassment during their campaigns, according to Jiji Press.
Ishiba’s ruling coalition had a disastrous showing in the election on Sunday and is projected to lose its parliamentary majority.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
The 67-year-old premier called a vote days after taking office on October 1tmt play, but voters angry at a slush fund scandal punished his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
READ NEXT What if Donald Trump loses? The seven states that will decide the US presidency EDITORS' PICK PNP to dispatch over 18,000 cops for Undas Duterte admits to having 'death squad,' later insists it’s not one Duterte on drug war: I did what I had to do to protect the people Duterte takes ‘full legal, moral responsibility’ for drug war FPJ Panday Bayanihan Partylist sends relief goods to storm victims Human trafficking rap filed vs. Harry Roque, 2 others MOST READ Leon may turn into typhoon; Signal No. 1 over parts of Luzon, Visayas Discaya camp shrugs off Sotto’s appeal to Comelec to take action vs her DTI mulling more funds for typhoon-stricken businesses PhilHealth’s fault Follow @FMangosingINQ on Twitter --> View comments