Japan's Female Leadership and Gender Equality Challenges Under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
In October 2025, Sanae Takaichi became Japan's first female prime minister, sparking debate over whether her leadership will advance gender equality in the country.
Japan ranks 118th out of 148 countries on the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index, the worst among OECD members. Despite the government's goal of 30% women in leadership roles by 2020, the deadline was postponed by a decade, with women currently holding only 11.1% of leadership positions in business.
Female participation in the labor market is high and rising, with the employment rate of women aged 15–64 now exceeding 77%, surpassing that of the United States at about 70%. However, a significant gender wage gap persists, with women earning approximately 70–80% of men's wages according to a 2024 government survey.
Japan’s venture-capital sector remains male-dominated. The MPower Partners' WPower fund supports female founders, with half of its capital sourced from Tokyo, yet women still face challenges accessing capital and information. More than half of female entrepreneurs reported experiencing sexual harassment in the past year, leading the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to conduct a 2025 government survey on this issue.
At Tokyo University, initiatives such as UTokyo Gender Equity #WeChange aim to increase female faculty representation from 16% in 2022 to 25% by 2027. Currently, female faculty make up around 18%, and female undergraduates account for about 20%. Programs like StartUp Lady offer safe spaces and collaborate with Tokyo authorities to support women entrepreneurs.
