Gender Equality in Politics Still Elusive in Japan

Tokyo, March 3 (Jiji Press)--Gender equality in politics remains elusive in Japan, which marks the 80th anniversary of women's suffrage this year.

Female lawmakers hold only 15.7 pct of all seats in the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament.

Gender-related unconscious bias continues to hinder women's participation in politics. Japan has a long way to go before fully achieving gender equality in politics.

Natsumi Sakai, a Lower House member of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan in her second term, is struggling to balance raising her 7-year-old daughter with her political activities.

"It was hard when stereotypes about elections were imposed on me," Sakai said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]