Japan Still Struggling with Wide Gender Gap

Japan faces a notable challenge in closing its gender gap, ranking 73rd out of 190 economies, according to the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law 2024 report. This report, released just before International Women’s Day, shines a spotlight on the disparities between men and women’s legal rights and protections. Japanese women enjoy only 72.5% of the rights that men do, a stark contrast to the OECD high-income economy average of 84.9%.

While Japan improved from its previous 104th place, it still sits at the bottom among the affluent OECD countries. The introduction of new indicators, such as safety from violence and access to child care services, has further highlighted areas requiring urgent attention. Despite no reported gender gap in child care legal frameworks, Japan’s lack of comprehensive protections against domestic violence and sexual harassment paints a concerning picture.

Italy leads the rankings, ensuring women 95% of the legal rights available to men. Japan’s struggle underscores a broader global issue, emphasizing the need for systemic change to achieve gender equality.

This article illustrates the crucial link between gender equality and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Japan’s situation is a stark reminder of the work needed to create inclusive societies where everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities. Improving legal rights for women not only advances gender equality but also contributes to broader economic and social development, aligning with the objectives of sustainable development.