TOKYO, Japan — Nearly 60 women lawmakers in Japan, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, have submitted a petition calling for additional women’s toilets in the parliament building, highlighting both the modest gains in female political representation and the enduring gender imbalance in the country’s political institutions.
The cross-party appeal, signed by 58 female legislators, was presented earlier this month to Yasukazu Hamada, chair of the House of Representatives committee on rules and administration.
The petition argues that existing facilities are inadequate for the growing number of women lawmakers, particularly near the Diet’s main plenary chamber.
According to the petition, there is only one women’s restroom with two cubicles located close to the main chamber, serving 73 women elected to the 465-seat lower house following the 2024 general election.
“Before plenary sessions start, truly so many women lawmakers have to form long queues in front of the restroom,” said Yasuko Komiyama, a lawmaker from the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, after submitting the appeal.
While the number of women in Japan’s parliament has increased in recent years, the political arena remains overwhelmingly male-dominated. The Diet building itself, completed in 1936, was designed long before women gained the right to vote in December 1945, following Japan’s defeat in World War II.
Data published by the Yomiuri Shimbun shows the scale of the imbalance: the lower house building has 12 men’s toilets with 67 stalls, compared with nine women’s toilets containing a total of just 22 cubicles.
The issue has emerged as a symbolic flashpoint in a broader national debate over gender equality. Japan ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report, reflecting persistent disparities not only in politics but also in business leadership and media representation.
In the most recent election, 73 women were elected to the lower house — up from 45 in the previous parliament — though one has since left office.
The upper house currently has 74 women among its 248 members. Despite these gains, women still account for less than 16 per cent of lawmakers in the lower chamber.
Female candidates have long complained of systemic barriers to participation, including sexist remarks during campaigns. Some say they are routinely told they should remain at home to care for children rather than seek public office.
Prime Minister Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female leader in October, has previously spoken about the need to address women’s health issues and has publicly discussed her own experience with menopause.
Before taking office, she pledged to pursue “Nordic-level” gender balance in government.
However, her 19-member cabinet includes only two other women, drawing criticism from gender equality advocates.
Takaichi is also regarded as socially conservative, opposing reforms such as allowing married couples to retain separate surnames and supporting the continuation of male-only succession in the imperial family.
Komiyama said the call for more women’s toilets reflects both progress and persistent shortcomings.
“In a way, this symbolises how the number of female lawmakers has increased,” she said, according to her party’s website. “But it also shows how far we still have to go to achieve real equality.”
The petition’s supporters say improving facilities is a practical necessity, but they stress that it should also prompt a wider conversation about structural reform and equal representation in Japan’s public life.
