Sanae Takaichi Becomes Japan's First Female Prime Minister Amid Gender Equality Challenges
In October 2025, Sanae Takaichi became Japan's first female prime minister, marking a significant milestone in the nation's political history. Despite this achievement, critics express concern that her conservative stance might limit progress on gender equality.
Japan ranks 118th out of 148 countries on the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index in 2025, the worst ranking among OECD members. Women hold just 11.1% of leadership positions in business, and the government's previous target of having 30% of leadership roles filled by women by 2020 was quietly postponed by a decade.
Female participation in the workforce among those aged 15–64 exceeded 77% in 2025, surpassing the US figure of 70% in 2024. Policy initiatives include efforts to reduce nursery waiting lists to support young mothers returning to work, yet a significant gender pay gap persists, with women earning approximately 70–80% of men's salaries according to a 2024 government survey.
In the technology and venture capital sectors, MPower Partners launched the WPower fund to back female founders, with Tokyo contributing half of the funding. However, the broader venture capital scene remains described as clubby, limiting access for non-insiders.
At Tokyo University, women represent only 20% of undergraduates. The university's UTokyo Gender Equity initiative aims to increase female faculty from 16% in 2022 to 25% by 2027 by offering subsidies for hires and outreach, though progress is ongoing with faculty representation at about 18%. Women remain underrepresented, particularly in STEM fields.
