By Despoina Kanta
Japan, besides being an interesting case of an economic success, has gathered interest regarding the economics revolving around gender. A special aspect of Shinzo Abe’s economic policy in Japan was the area concerning women. The term “Womenomics” was used to describe the economic policy drawn up by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose main goal was to promote the active participation of women in the workforce. This goal has been one of the main strategic areas for Japan’s economic development, not only for overcoming the obstacles and challenges women face in entering and progressing through the labor force but also for the economy itself. Child care, the issue of equal pay, and improving work-life balance are challenges that concern women worldwide. However, Abe believed that harnessing women as part of the workforce would address the economic and demographic problems differently.
However, despite what was written at the time about the success of the economic policies pursued in general, but also more specifically for women’s empowerment, there is no evidence of results showing a reduction in gender inequality in Japan through these policies. It is argued that despite the efforts, the reality does not match the praise.
During the term of Abe, women indeed entered the workforce, but this did not mean that these women were employed in positions of responsibility or high-paid positions. This has resulted in a new two-tier employment issue for women in Japan, with a minority of them, the elite, and another part of women working in precarious positions.
Another case where womenοmics were found to be insufficient was the fact that there was no increase in pay for women working in sectors where the workforce is almost exclusively female (such as education, childcare, and elderly care). Even though these are key areas of work to improve everyone’s daily life, these positions continued to be filled by low-paid women, without improving either the pay or the social status of these women. For this reason, the discussion was also transferred to an ideological level, as economic measures to support women were considered neoliberal and ineffective.
Regardless of the issue of gender equality, it has not been confirmed by numbers that the ultimate goal of the present economic policy, which was none other than the stimulation of national economic development, has been achieved. The labor shortages that arose due to the shrinking population seem to have required more drastic measures.
But was the elimination of inequalities ever the main theme of Abe’s economic policy?
Abe was best known for his conservative stance on women’s social roles. For example, he opposed the amendment of the law requiring married couples to have the same surname, and many accused him of discriminatory policies against women. Logic says that measures to support women are provided to improve the status of women and the measures are not taken on a commensurate basis.
Despite international recognition, it appears that Abe’s policies on women have failed to promote, let alone consolidate, bridging the gender gap in Japan. The reality for Japan, as for all politics, appears to be more complex than it is presented in the media.
Critics of Abe’s economic policies argue that while there may have been some improvement, progress has been so slow that deep-seated beliefs about women’s place in society and the workplace have overshadowed any improvements that have been attempted to address the gender gap in terms of wages, career advancement opportunities and representation in leadership positions. Gender equality remains an ongoing struggle not only because of the medium-term economic conditions but also due to the long-term societal beliefs – and this constitutes a great reminder of the connection between economy and society that politicians and economists often fail to take into account when implementing policy.
