The Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan confirmed on Wednesday that the country has made progress in improving women's working conditions, but more needs to be done. In detail, Japan ranked 116th out of 146 countries in terms of gender equality in last year's Global Gender Gap Report, and efforts to enhance women's roles in management and government are lagging. There are only two female ministers among the 20 members of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet.
Women often struggle to balance work and household responsibilities, which are still widely viewed as women's responsibilities, driving many to unstable and low-paying "temporary" contracts. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno stated at a regular press conference, "The situation for women trying to balance family and work responsibilities is extremely difficult in our country."
Matsuno added, "The employment rates of women have increased based on measures we have taken. However, it is also true that many of them turn to temporary work after giving birth, and the necessary measures to address this issue are still in mid-course," noting that he recognizes there is much to be done to change social attitudes towards gender.
According to a survey published in the Sankei Shimbun daily, 65% of women said they prioritize less time for themselves to meet the demands of both home and work, compared to 42% of men. Women perform cooking tasks at a rate of 80%, compared to 8% for men, with similar ratios for other household chores. The only task that men do more than women is taking out the trash, with 49% of men doing this compared to 43% of women.
