Sanae Takaichi Becomes Japan's First Female Prime Minister Amid Mixed Reactions and Ongoing Gender Inequality
In October 2025, Sanae Takaichi made history as Japan's first female prime minister, marking what many see as a significant milestone for gender representation in the country. However, her conservative stance has sparked mixed reactions, with some viewing her election as progress toward breaking the glass ceiling, while others remain skeptical about the impact on advancing gender-equality policies.
Japan currently ranks 118th out of 148 countries on the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index for this year, the lowest among OECD member nations. This ranking reflects persistent challenges in the country's gender equality landscape. Notably, the government's target to have 30% of leadership roles occupied by women by 2020 was delayed by a decade, and the share of women in business leadership roles stands at just 11.1%.
Despite these setbacks, female employment rates for ages 15 to 64 have been above the OECD average since the early 2010s and surpassed 77% in 2025, outperforming the USA's approximately 70%. Policies to support workforce participation, such as reducing nursery waiting lists to aid young mothers in returning to work, have also been implemented.
Nonetheless, gender pay disparities persist, with women earning around 70–80% of men's wages according to a 2024 government survey. Efforts to support female entrepreneurship include the launch of the WPower fund by MPower Partners, with half of its capital provided by the Tokyo Government. Still, the venture capital scene remains described as clubby, limiting access for women founders from outside established networks.
At Tokyo University, approximately 20% of undergraduates are women. The #WeChange initiative under the UTokyo Gender Equity program aims to increase the female faculty share from 16% in 2022 to 25% by 2027, aided by subsidies to hire female staff. Currently, female faculty representation is near 18%.
Overall, Sanae Takaichi's prime ministership is viewed by some as a potential catalyst for change, though significant challenges remain in achieving gender equality in Japan across political, corporate, and academic arenas.
