Hello, everyone. My name is Tamayo Marukawa, and I am the Minister of State for Gender Equality in Japan. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the efforts of the chair, Hon Jan Tinetti, and everyone else who has contributed to organizing this Forum.

Gender equality is the important and solid policy for the Government of Japan. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly severe among women, and it has served to bring gender equality and women’s economic empowerment right to the top of our agenda.

Today I would like to address three points in relation to women’s economic empowerment post-COVID-19:

First, our efforts in upskilling and reskilling of women in the use of digital technologies;
Second, the need for empowerment at all stages of life; and
Third, the importance of gender statistics as the foundation for our efforts.

To address my first point, looking ahead to the economic and industrial structure after the pandemic, we need to improve women’s digital skills to facilitate their shift into growth industries. This will not only progress women’s economic empowerment but also offer a major contribution to economic growth.

In Japan, we help women to equip themselves with advanced digital skills and seek re-employment in or a career shift into the digital sector.

We also work with around 800 universities and companies, including Japan’s biggest economic association to encourage female students at high schools and universities to turn their eyes to the STEM field.

My second point is the need for women’s economic empowerment at all stages of life. Japan has entered into the era of the 100-year life thanks to the advance of longevity. We currently have around 86,000 centenarians, of whom some 76,000 are women, and more than half of Japanese women are living to over 90.

In Japan, there is a female programmer aged 86 who is still active in the field.

Given these facts, I believe that it will become more important than ever to promote women’s economic empowerment at all stages of life.

My third point is the importance of gender statistics. It is extremely important to collect and analyze gender-disaggregated data in order to objectively identify the current status and issues to promote women’s economic empowerment. In Japan, we will also utilize gender statistics, engaging in analysis of these to help us identify policy challenges.

Finally, we are extremely concerned at the current situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. We will continue to monitor the situation while working closely with the international community.

Women’s economic empowerment will be essential to the advance of the Asia-Pacific region. As Japan’s minister in charge of Gender Equality, I pledge to do my utmost to achieve gender equality and promote women’s economic empowerment.

Thank you very much for your attention.