Women have won a record number of lower house seats in Japan’s elections this time.
Japan’s broadcaster NHK has said that women have won 73 of the 465 seats in the lower house.
About 45 women were elected to the lower house in the country’s 2021 elections.
According to the news agency AFP, the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation and other media outlets reported that a record number of women are participating in the election, making up a quarter of the candidates.
Women are underrepresented in Japanese politics and business. Japan was ranked 118th out of 146 in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Gender Gap Report.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has only two women in his 20-member cabinet.
Last month, the head of No Youth No Japan, Momoko Nojo, said that there are men in Japan’s political parties and their minds are not open. Hence it is difficult to find female candidates.’
He said that many women are confined to the house, which makes it difficult for them to become politicians.
Momoko Nojo also runs a project to encourage and support women and minorities in politics.
According to Jiji Press, a 2021 Cabinet Office survey found that one in four female election candidates in Japan experienced sexual harassment during their campaign.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling coalition is likely to lose its parliamentary majority in Sunday’s election.
67 The former prime minister had announced the elections a few days after assuming office on October 1.
