Notoriously sexist, Japanese politics is being shaken up as parties increase female representation at upper house elections
. Women comprise just 9.9% of lower house MPs and 23% in the upper house. In its 2021 gender gap index, the World Economic Forum placed Japan 147th in political empowerment out of 156 countries.
Just over half of candidates for the biggest opposition group, the Constitutional Democratic party of Japan, are women. The Japanese Communist party has the highest proportion, at 55.2%. “We believe that by getting female candidates to win, Japanese politics will really change,” the CDPJ’s secretary general, Chinami Nishimura, told reporters ahead of the election.
A survey conducted last year by the cabinet office found that female politicians and candidates encountered “rampant” sexual harassment, including inappropriate touching and verbal advances by male voters, and online abuse based on their age, marital status and private life.in April re-enacting scenes of harassment based on testimony from younger lawmakers while on the campaign trail and after being elected.
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