Women in Japan Today 2004

News From the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality

Public Relations Videotapes on Trafficking

Some foreign women working in the entertainment business are deceived or forced into coming to Japan and made into prostitutes after being deprived of their passports or forcibly fallen into heavy debt. This problem is a so-called trafficking crime.

While the international community sees it as a serious problem, Japanese people in general do not have sufficient awareness about trafficking. With this as the background, the Research Foundation for Safe Security produced the videotape "Trafficking" based on the National Police Agency's plan and in collaboration with the Council for Public Policy. This video program aims at raising awareness of the Japanese people by providing information on trafficking cases and serious efforts by police departments, embassies and NGOs in order to eliminate the problem.

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The Research Foundation for Safe Security prepared leaflets and videotapes and distributes them free of charge to prefectural police headquarters, concerned government departments, embassies in Tokyo and NGOs.

Appointing Leading Administrative Counselors for Gender Equality

Leading administrative counselors for gender equality hold active discussions at the meeting after their appointments
Leading administrative counselors for gender equality hold active discussions at the meeting after their appointments
As long as these are concerned with the national government's administration, the administrative counselors are able to deal with complaints about gender equality. However, not all of them are experts on gender equality issues.
As a result, the government appointed the administrative counselars who have sufficient expertise on gender equality as "Leading Administrative Counselors for Gender Equality".
They deal with administrative complaints regarding gender equality and also assist other administrative counselors by providing advice on gender equality problems.

these are concerned with the national government's administration, the administrative counselors are able to deal with complaints about gender equality. However, not all of them are experts on gender equality issues. As a result, the government appointed the administrative counselars who have sufficient expertise on gender equality as "Leading Administrative Counselors for Gender Equality". They deal with administrative complaints regarding gender equality and also assist other administrative counselors by providing advice on gender equality problems.

Commendation for Enterprises Promoting Equal Employment

Since FY1999, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has been granting the "Commendation for Enterprises Promoting Equal Employment" for companies that promote positive actions to encourage women to fully exercise their potentials. In FY2003, the ministry started accepting applications for award winner candidates from the public.

This award has two categories: The "Award of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (best company award and excellent company award)" and the "Award of the Director-General of the Prefectural Labour and Welfare (excellent firm award and incentive award)."

The government grants these awards during "Equal Employment Opportunity Month" in June of every year.

In terms of the "Award of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare" in FY2003, IBM Japan, Ltd. won the best company award, and seven firms received the excellent company award.

Outline of the Survey on the Status of Rural Women's Entrepreneurial Activities

Women's entrepreneurial activities in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, such as ventures into farm restaurants, morning markets and food processing using local agricultural products, have increased significantly in recent years. These kinds of activities are not only conducive to women's participation in management and financial independence, but also make a sizeable contribution to the revitalization of local communities and economies and exchanges between cities and rural villages.

Since FY1997, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has been conducting a national survey in cooperation with Regional Agricultural Extension Centers in order to grasp the circumstances surrounding rural women's entrepreneurial activities.

An outline of the results of the FY2002 survey (January 2003) follows:

  • Women's entrepreneurial ventures numbered 7,735 nationwide

    Women's entrepreneurial ventures numbered 7,735 nationwide, 70% of which were managed by groups. Compared to the previous survey (as of January 2002), group-managed ventures increased by 3.7%, and individually-managed ventures soared by 10.2%, respectively.

Trend in the Number of Women's Entrepreneurial Ventures
Trend in the Number of Women's Entrepreneurial Ventures

  • Food processing using local agricultural products dominates

    Analysis of the content of these activities shows that local agricultural produce is used in the majority of cases: 70% involved food processing, such as jams and pickles; and 41% involved sales and distribution, such as morning markets and direct sales to the public. (Multiple answers)

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  • Marginal in scale

    Analysis of annual turnover reveals that these ventures are marginal in scale, with 61% earning less than 3 million yen. Those earning 10 million yen or more accounted for 12%.

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  • Status of incorporation

    Among group-managed ventures, 186 were incorporated, which represented 2% of the total. In the majority of cases, ventures were incorporated as private limited companies or agricultural producers' cooperative corporations.

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