JAPAN’S EQUAL FUTURES PARTNERSHIP COMMITMENTS

Under Prime Minister ABE’s administration, Japan aims to realize a society where all women can flourish.

To that end, Japan is striving to create women-friendly working environment and expand women’s participation in policy and decision making processes.

In order to ensure that Japan continues to prosper in a diverse and sustainable manner, we must recognize the role of women as a driving force for Japan's economy, help to create and expand opportunities for women, and make innovations happen. A situation called the “M-shaped curb” where the employment rate of women drops sharply during the period of their child-rearing has to be resolved to realize a society where no more Japanese women should be forced to choose between child-rearing and work.

In a democratic society, both women and men are equally expected to actively participate in the political decision-making process and bear their share of responsibility. Also, a variety of opinions should be equally and fairly heard in decision-making and direction-setting processes in political and societal spheres, and benefits should be equally enjoyed by women and men. Increasing women’s participation in policy and decision making processes, particularly in the political field, is a pressing challenge for the Japanese society.

With due considerations above,

• The Government of Japan is taking specific measures by 2020 to achieve  objectives on the basis of The Fourth Basic Plan for Gender Equality which was established in December 2015. Especially, towards increasing women’s participation in policy and decision-making processes, measures and objectives were established in the Fourth Basic Plan, which should lead to the achievement of related objectives by 2020 in order to increase female candidates of leadership positions.
• In the economic area, the Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace was fully enforced in April 2016. The Act regulates large companies to formulate and announce plans of action to promote women’s empowerment including quantitative targets and initiatives. In addition, a system which is to give higher evaluations to the companies that foster a better work-life balance for their employees among bidders for public procurement contracts has been introduced to whole government ministries and agencies.
• In the political area, we are urging political parties and circles to take proactive steps autonomously to increase female candidates in elections.

平等な未来パートナーシップ

女性の経済的機会の増大・政治的参画拡大に向けた

日本のコミットメント

（和文仮訳）

２０１６年４月

我が国は、安倍政権の下、女性が輝く社会の実現を目指し、女性が働きやすい環境を整えるとともに、女性の政策過程への参画を拡大することを目指している。

我が国が将来にわたって持続可能で多様性に富んだ繁栄を続けるためには，経済の牽引者としての女性の役割を認識し，女性の経済活動の機会を創造・拡大し、イノベーションを起こすことが必要。そのために，子育て期の女性の就業率が下がる「Ｍ字」カーブの問題を解消し、日本の女性が、育児か仕事かという二者択一を迫られない社会を実現する必要がある。

また、民主主義社会では，男女が政治的意思決定過程に積極的に参画し共に責任を担うとともに，多様な意思が政治や社会の政策・方針決定に公平・公正に反映され，均等に収益を享受することができなければならない。政策・方針決定過程への女性の参画の拡大は，我が国の社会にとって喫緊の課題であり，特に，政治の分野におけるその緊要性は高い。

この問題意識を踏まえ，我が国は，

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