TOKYO (Agencies): The average share of women among Cabinet ministers worldwide has risen to 22.9 per cent, from 14.2 per cent over the past 20 years, but women are largely assigned to “low-prestige” and “feminine” posts, a study by Japan’s National Diet Library showed.
The corresponding figure for Japan fell to 10 per cent in 2025, from 12.5 per cent in 2005, and averaged 13.2 per cent over the 20-year period, the lowest among the Group of Seven advanced economies. It trailed sixth-ranked Italy by more than 10 percentage points, the survey showed.
The library compiled the analysis based on data from 189 countries released by the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women as at Jan 1, 2025, as reported in local media on Sunday.
Over the 20 years, the number of countries with at least 30 per cent female ministers increased from 17 to 62, while those with none fell from 19 to nine, it said.
Despite the increase, the library estimated gender parity would not be achieved until 2077.
Kyodo News also reported that the study also said female ministers tend to be assigned posts overseeing policies related to women, gender equality, families and children, education and tourism, while men are more likely to hold posts responsible for foreign, defence and fiscal policy.
In describing factors that encourage female participation, the study referred to the “concrete floor”, a concept meaning that once a country reaches a certain share of female ministers, it becomes difficult for a subsequent president or prime minister to reduce their number.
In Japan, aside from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who became the country’s first woman to hold the post in October 2025 and was re-elected in February, two women hold Cabinet posts – Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and Ms Kimi Onodera, minister in charge of economic security.
Under former prime minister Fumio Kishida, a record-matching five women joined his reshuffled Cabinet in 2023, but he drew criticism for having no female senior or parliamentary vice-ministers.
Mari Hamada, who leads Stand by Women, a group promoting more female participation in Parliament, said: “It is not surprising that the ratio of female ministers is small for Japan because the number of female Diet members is low.” -- Agencies
