Equal Pay Day in Japan

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Gender Pay Gap in Japan

Japan has one of the highest gender wage gaps in the OECD with a gap of 25.9 per cent. Only Estonia (26.9 per cent) and Korea (36.7 per cent) have a larger gap.

The major reason behind this large gap is the presence of gender stereotpyes and manifested family roles within the Japanese society. After giving birth, women tend to step out of the labour and often do not re-enter. If women enter the labour market after family-related breaks, women tend to end up in relatively lowly-paid non-regular employment. Furthermore, family roles tend to be rigid fostering women's roles in the household and men's roles in the labour market. Men tend to stay away from care work and parental leaves. Exacerbating this notion, men tend to work long hours due to the corporate culture present in Japan.

This kind of social expectations towards mothers and wifes lead a growing number of Japanese women increasingly opting out of marriage altogether. They focusing on their work and freedoms of a single life instead.

Equal Pay Day in Japan

Equal Pay Day 2017

The Equal Pay Day in 2017 is held on April 7. For the Equal Pay Day a conference is organised. Central theme is to motivate and ro raise awareness among young women.

Equal Pay Day 2016

In 2015, the G7 meetings were held in Germany. During these meetings, it has been decided to introduce a new working group promoting gender equality and reducing gender gaps within the labour market. In 2016, the Japanese G7 presidency upheld the tendency and organised a number of events on how to foster gender equality in the work place. In this regard, a side event during CSW 60 in New York focussed on equal pay and women's participation in the labour market.

Equal Pay Day 2014

For the EPD in 2014, a national conference has been organised with the support of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and Gender equality bureau in the Cabinet office. Recent labour and family policies have been discussed during this conference.

Equal Pay Day 2013

The Equal Pay Day in 2013 has been celebrated on April 15. BPW Clubs visited offices of prefectural and city government, and explained the concept of EPD and ask for the support and cooperation to the EPD campaign. Furthermore, BPW Clubs raised awareness for gender equality and equal pay through the distribution of red bags.

Equal Pay Day 2012

BPW Japan started the Equal Pay Day campaign on April 16, 2012.

BPW Club Tokyo and other clubs held the first EPD campaign in 2012. Since then, our EPD related activities have been expanded. As the first step, BPW Clubs visited governmental offices to introduce the concept of EPD.

Related Links

OECD: Gender Wage Gap

Japan Today: Gender gap still exists in Japan in pay, working conditions

The New York Times: Craving Freedom, Japan’s Women Opt Out of Marriage

BPW Japan

Equal Pay Day in Japan - Japanese

Equal Pay Day in Japan

UN Women: G7 leaders highlight women’s empowerment as a top priority