Japan’s New Cabinet Has a Record Number of Women. So What? – The Diplomat

Tokyo Report | Politics | East Asia

The inclusion of girls in politics must be about gender equality, political accountability, and fundamental human rights quite than a political slogan. In Japan, feminine political appointments appear to be extra about garnering reward, goodwill, and votes.

The lately reshuffled Cupboard of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has been typically properly acquired by home and worldwide media for having a “file variety of ladies” and “reflecting a deal with gender.” Certainly, the brand new Cupboard consists of 5 ladies, up from the earlier two. The brand new ministers are Kamikawa Yoko as international minister; Kato Ayuko as minister for baby points and gender equality; Jimi Hanako as minister for regional revitalization; Tsuchiya Shinako as minister for reconstruction; and Takaichi Sanae, who was retained as minister for financial safety. Kishida has additionally appointed Obuchi Yuko as chairperson of the Liberal Democratic Get together (LDP) election technique committee. 

Seen in isolation, these appointments are a laudable effort that locations ladies in vital and influential authorities and get together posts. However there’s lacking context to this information that places into query the prime minister’s priorities on gender equality, his notion of the worth of feminine participation in politics, and typically, the prospect of girls in Japanese politics. 

For one factor, Kishida remarked that he expects his feminine ministers to “do their jobs whereas absolutely demonstrating their sense and empathy that are distinctive to ladies,” a remark that drew ire from social media and the opposition. This concept of a “distinctive” feminine sensibility was embraced by the appointees themselves, with Kamikawa, the brand new international minister, pledging to use her perspective as a girl in international coverage. 

However is the contribution of feminine political appointees uniquely feminine? Embedded in these statements is the generalization that ladies have a sure set of traits and that they’re categorically completely different from males of their perceptions, rationale, and private qualities. This typification units again society’s understanding of what ladies are able to and how much jobs they need to be given. 

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In the meantime, whether or not the Cupboard really features a “file” variety of ladies is extra debatable than it appears. Overshadowed by the ministerial appointments was the absence of girls in lower-level posts – the place beforehand 4 vice ministers and 7 parliamentary secretaries have been ladies (out of 54 of those posts), there are none within the new cupboard. Because of this solely 7 p.c of the 73 minister, vice minister, and parliamentary secretarial posts within the Cupboard at the moment are taken by ladies. 

Furthermore, we should always observe that this “file excessive quantity” of feminine ministers really represents a tie with the April 2001 cupboard of Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro and the September 2014 cupboard of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo. Checked out from a unique perspective, the variety of ladies in ministerial appointments has not improved from greater than 20 years in the past. 

Moreover, most of the appointees’ background casts doubt on what sort of ladies can succeed and even take part in politics. Out of the 5 ministers, three have been born into political households: Kato Ayuko is the daughter of former LDP secretary normal Kato Koichi; Jimi Hanako is the daughter of former postal minister Jimi Shozaburo; and Tsuchiya Shinako is the daughter of former Higher Home president and Saitama governor Tsuchiya Yoshihiko. Obuchi Yuko is the daughter of former prime minister Obuchi Keizo. 

Hereditary politics is an entrenched and dominant phenomenon in Japan that advantages each women and men, and the abilities and {qualifications} of an appointee shouldn’t be devalued merely due to their bloodline. But it surely ought to make us query which ladies particularly are being supplied an opportunity to succeed at politics and why. 

The dearth of girls in politics is a component of a bigger phenomenon of gender disparity in Japan. Regardless of quite a few authorities campaigns and insurance policies to extend feminine participation and management in society, the hurdles posed by path dependency and patriarchy are excessive. Thus, it’s much more vital to scrutinize extremely publicized occasions of feminine inclusion and ask whether or not they characterize true change.