The gender gap index evaluates four areas: politics, economy, education, and health. Japan is in a sad position, ranking 125th out of 146 countries. However, health and education are among the best in the world. In Japan, there is not much difference between men and women in the areas of health and education. In terms of average life expectancy, Japan has always ranked among the best in the world. In the field of education, there is almost no difference between men and women even when looking at the rate of enrollment in four-year universities. However, when it comes to politics, the ratio of female members of the House of Representatives is 15.7%. There has never been a female prime minister in the past. In the economic field, there is a serious gap, such as wage disparities and an extremely small number of female managers. There have been situations that women who have received a high level of education have been pushed into the corners of society halfway through their ambitions. If there is a system to develop the talents of these women, Japan’s future will be bright.
So how can we close the gender gap? A study has examined the relationship between the proportion of women and the financial status of local governments using data from 2007 to 2012 from 764 Japanese cities. The study summarizes empirical research showing that an increase in the number of female council members leads to increased financial discipline in local governments. Municipalities with a high ratio of female council members issue fewer local bonds and contribute less to public enterprises. Female council members often make policy recommendations in the area of welfare and seem to pay attention to the process of implementing policies and projects. Results also show that the more female council members there are, the more likely public services that interest women are to receive budgets. Furthermore, empirical research has also been compiled showing that the higher the ratio of female council members, the less corruption there is and the more likely it is that budgets are allocated to education and welfare.
Oiso Town in Kanagawa Prefecture is an example of how the increase in female council members has contributed to the revitalization of the region. Oiso Town had the highest ratio of female council members in Japan. In 2003, the ratio of female council members in this town reached 50%. The increase in female council members has transformed the council. When there were more male council members, the main focus was on tourism, but female council members have made a major shift to welfare inspections. Female legislators have taken the lead in policy-making, and taxes are now being used to improve people’s daily lives. Female legislators have the management skills to combine family and social work. If a parliamentary group is made up of men and elderly people, policies that prioritize the interests of men and the elderly are more likely to pass. With an increase in female legislators, policies that directly affect residents, such as town revitalization, have begun to be proposed. Female legislators are bringing a breath of fresh air to traditionally male-dominated parliaments. They are not only bringing a breath of fresh air, but are also steadily bringing results.
