Minister’s Message on International Women’s Day 2025

Hello, everyone. I am MIHARA Junko, Minister in charge of Women’s Empowerment and Minister of State for Gender Equality.
　

March 8th is International Women's Day. International Women's Day gives us an opportunity to think about gender equality worldwide, with events taking place in many countries.
　

50 years ago in 1975, which was International Women’s Year, the United Nations started to celebrate International Women’s Day. Over the years, Japan has developed its policies for gender equality and women’s empowerment under international cooperation and with reference to initiatives in other countries and international organizations. In the International Women’s Year of 1975, we established the office for women’s issues, the predecessor of today’s Gender Equality Bureau of the Cabinet Office, and promoted various measures based on domestic action plans. Subsequently, for example, we amended domestic laws to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which the UN General Assembly adopted in 1979. We also enacted the Basic Act for a Gender-Equal Society following the organization of the World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, and we established the Council for Gender Equality and the Gender Equality Bureau.
　This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of International Women’s Day, I would like to express my sincerest respect and gratitude to the efforts put in by all of those sharing the goal of gender equality.
　

Currently, with a view to establishing the Basic Policy on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women 2025 and the Sixth Basic Plan for Gender Equality, the government is working diligently on topics such as increasing women’s participation in decision-making in all fields, realizing a society in which everyone can be actively involved according to their wishes, creating regions that attract women and women can be actively involved in, and realizing a society that can safeguard individual dignity, as well as safety and peace of mind.
　In particular, to create regions that attract women and women can be actively involved in, we will submit the Incorporated Administrative Agency for Gender Equality Bill and other legislation to build a system of cooperation and collaboration to address gender gaps on a community-wide basis. Additionally, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and others, we will advance initiatives including extending and revising the Act on the Promotion of Women’s Active Engagement in Professional Life that will cease to be effective next March, to further promote female participation and career advancement in the workplace.
　As this year marks 25 years since the establishment of the Basic Act for Gender Equal Society and 10 years since the establishment of the Act on the Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement, we will do our utmost to enact legislation to further advance Japan’s progress toward gender equality and women’s advancement.
　

Furthermore, aiming to create regions that attract women and women can be actively involved in, we will work on creating an entrepreneurial movement for motivated women based on the concept of creating workplaces in regional areas where women want to work. Currently, we are holding the “Salon for Female Entrepreneurs Who Shine in Local Communities” and exchanging opinions on the necessary support to promote women’s entrepreneurship and how to change the region into places where women want to work. We will bring together the knowledge gained from this and incorporate the necessary measures into the Basic Policy on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women 2025.
　As for international initiatives, international conferences and multilateral meetings such as the G7 and G20 are scheduled to be held this year, and the “Women’s Pavilion” will be exhibited at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai starting in April. We will share our experiences and initiatives and continue to cooperate with the international community to realize a women-empowering and gender equal society, further strengthening initiatives in various fields.
　

Finally, on the occasion of this celebration of International Women’s Day, I would like to once again express my sincere respect to all those who are striving to realize gender equality both in Japan and overseas. As the minister in charge of gender equality and women’s empowerment, I would like to conclude my message on this International Women’s Day with my renewed pledge to work with reaffirmed commitment to realizing a society where all people can feel fulfilled in life and where individuality and diversity are respected.

March 8, 2025

MIHARA Junko

Minister in charge of Women’s Empowerment
Minister of State for Gender Equality