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Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office
6-1, Nagata-cho 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-8914 Japan

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Obuchi Cabinet

Inauguration of the Obuchi Cabinet
The Obuchi Cabinet was inaugurated on 30 July 1998, with Hiromu Nonaka appointed as Minister for Gender Equality and Chief Cabinet Secretary. Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi became President of the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality, while Chief Cabinet Secretary Nonaka serves as the Headquarters' Vice-President.

Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi
Chief Cabinet Secretary and Minister for Gender Equality Hiromu Nonaka		Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Seiko Noda

Inaugural Message from the New President of the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality
Japan is currently in the middle of a period of major change, including rapid internationalization and transformation into an aging society with a low birth rate. To respond to such change and open the way to an affluent 21st century, one urgent task will be the realization of a gender-equal society in which each person, regardless of gender, can fully exploit their own abilities and individuality. Based on the Plan for Gender Equality 2000, the government will work to further promote measures in this area, and basic legislation regarding promotional measures to realize a gender-equal society is currently being deliberated by the Council for Gender Equality. I hope to present a bill to the next regular Diet session based on the outcome of these deliberations.

Inaugural Message from the New Minister for Gender Equality
As we stand on the verge of the 21st century, we are faced with the major task of realizing a gender-equal society which allows the vigorous engagement of both men and women in the workplace, at home and in the community, sharing their joys and responsibilities. It has already been three years since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, 1995, which was attended by 5,000 Japanese participants, and a concrete schedule is emerging for the follow-up World Conference on Women in the year 2000. Japan too has to strengthen its efforts toward realizing the measures contained in its Plan for Gender Equality 2000, including the development of basic legislation and a promotion framework. As Chief Cabinet Secretary and Minister for Gender Equality, as well as Vice-President of the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality, I will engage in overall coordination of related measures and work to ensure the effective promotion of these measures.