Minister’s Message on International Women’s Day 2015

March 8, 2015

ARIMURA Haruko
Minister in Charge of Women’s Empowerment
Minister of State for Gender Equality

The 8th of March is the International Women’s Day. I celebrate this day with everyone who work together in order to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women in Japan and all over the world.

It is 20 years since the Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Beijing in 1995. In accordance with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted at the conference, Japan has engaged in creating a society in which women’s status is advanced and human rights are respected. On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, I would like to pay my respect to aspirations and achievements of all the persons concerned with this issue.

Following these efforts to date, the Government of Japan regards the creation of ‘A society in which all women shine’ as a crucial issue of Japan, and is taking concreate actions to create a society all the women can play active roles at home, in their communities, and at their workplaces with their individualities and abilities, according their wishes.

Therefore, the Government submitted to the Diet a bill on the facilitation of women’s active roles in the workplace and intend to be approved at the early stage. The Government is also engaging in realizing work-life-balance in society, in eliminating violence against women and in other issues. Furthermore, the Government is considering the Fourth Basic Plan for Gender Equality to be decided within this year as a benchmark of our policies on gender equality until 2020.

Prime Minister Abe is sending out the message to realize ‘A society in which all women shine’ to the world as an international commitment. I will dedicate myself to realize a society in which both women and men can live comfortably, while aiming for sustainable growth and maintaining social vitality of Japan.