Arab News Japan

TOKYO: To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike released a video with the message, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.”

Koike is one of Japan’s highest profile women politicians and she oversaw the hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Games under difficult circumstances last summer.

In her message, she says it is increasingly important to advance gender equality, especially with the world in crisis.

“We have witnessed the power of gender equality and diversity at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games which, I am proud to say, were gender balanced. Tokyo is actively promoting a ‘sustainable recovery’ to build a more sustainable future for all people in order to accelerate the international trend of economic and social recovery from COVID-19. Gender equality is essential to all our efforts.”

“The global challenges that the world is facing, such as the international crisis as well as the climate crisis, disasters, and infectious diseases, have a greater impact on vulnerable groups in society. We are now facing these issues head-on, and are already actively utilizing the perspectives and voices of women. If we do not utilize the power of women, we will not be able to achieve a truly sustainable recovery.”

Koike concluded by wishing that “all people, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or impairments” will be able to realize their potential.

International Women’s Day was first observed by the United Nations on March 8, 1975, and was then officially adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1977 as an appeal to eliminate discrimination against women and improve the status of women. 

In the “Gender Gap Index” released annually by the World Economic Forum, Japan’s ranking in 2021 was a lowly 120th out of 156 countries, the lowest among the G7.

The ratio of women in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly is 32.3% (41 out of 127 members), which is much higher than the national average (11.6%) and the highest among the 47 prefectures of Japan.