With consistently poor results in annual gender equality reports as well as within the context of raising awareness of SDGs in Japan, it is reasonable to suggest that gender equality goals should be one of Japan’s top priorities. Data has shown that economies and companies which best harness female talent are the most productive, innovative and prosperous, but in 2018, women in Japan held only about 15% of management-level roles, while in the U.S. and U.K., the share exceeded 35%. This is even after former prime minister Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) introduced “Womenomics” in 2013, which intended to create an environment in which women find it comfortable to work and enhance opportunities for women to work and to be active. Perhaps in an attempt to appeal as a party which is trying to improve or embrace diversity, the LDP recently bolstered the “Liberal Democratic Women’s Affairs Division”. However, to what extent does the division genuinely embrace diversity and encourage women’s participation in the workplace and politics? In this presentation, I reveal the findings of a critical discourse analysis of the Women’s Affairs Division’s official website and PR activities to demonstrate how the division’s efforts in actuality reinforce conservative, pro-natalist ideology, and ironically “keep women in their place.”

Authors:
Antonija Cavcic, Toyo University, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Antonija Cavcic is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Shiga Prefectural University in Japan

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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