Record Female Participation in Japan's Election

Japan is witnessing a record number of women candidates in the upcoming general election, with 314 women running for the 465-seat lower house, marking a historic 23.4% of total candidates. This increase is attributed to efforts by politicians like Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who have encouraged female participation, particularly in response to past scandals involving male lawmakers. Despite these advances, the representation of women remains below the government's 2025 target of 35%, as political parties in Japan are still predominantly male-oriented. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has improved its female candidacy rate to 16.1%, although it still trails behind some opposition parties, such as the Japanese Communist Party at 37.3%. The issue of hereditary politics also persists, with a significant number of candidates having familial political ties, which critics argue limits broader political engagement. Japan's global gender gap ranking remains low, highlighting ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality in politics.