EXCLUSIVE: Japan to Delay New Gender Equality Program

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party plan to postpone the formulation of the sixth basic program for promoting gender equality, initially scheduled to be compiled by the end of the year, Jiji Press learned Tuesday. The delay comes as concerns were raised over a plan to give legal validity to the use of surnames at birth for married couples, as advocated by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which was hastily added to the draft of a report serving as the basis for the basic program. Discussions on the matter, including the possible revision of the controversial section of the report, will continue into next year, according to multiple government and LDP sources. The Council for Gender Equality, comprising ministers and experts, was expected to submit the report to the prime minister on Dec. 12. But it was postponed after council member Tomoko Yoshino, president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, expressed opposition to the addition of a section on surnames to the draft report, saying that she did not receive an explanation about it. The section, which urges the government to consider establishing a system to give legal validity to the use of original surnames by married people, was inserted into the draft report at the discretion of administrative staff. Members of a related expert panel voiced doubts about the process by which the report was formulated at a meeting on Monday. The council ultimately decided to leave the decision of what to do with the draft report up to its chairman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara. Some in the LDP have expressed reservations about the section as well. A Tuesday meeting of LDP policy divisions, including the First Cabinet Division, to discuss the basic program was canceled. Yoshino met Kihara at the prime minister’s office the same day. They are believed to have discussed the draft report, but the labor leader did not respond to media requests for comment. “The process of how the section was added is wrong,” an LDP source said. “We are considering revising the part in question.” A close aide to the prime minister admitted that it is unavoidable that the basic program will be carried over into the new year, adding, “There is no need to rush that much.” The sixth basic program will serve as the government’s basic guidelines to realize a gender-equal society for the next five years. It is the first time since the first basic program was adopted in 2000 that the government has postponed giving cabinet approval for a new basic program to the following year. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]