A group of approximately 60 female Japanese lawmakers, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, have formally requested an increase in women's restroom facilities within the parliament building. This initiative follows a rise in female representation in the legislature and reports of extended queues for the existing amenities, which are also utilized by female staff and visitors.
The Petition and Rationale
The petition, submitted on December 12, garnered support from members across seven political parties and independent groups. Opposition lawmaker Yasuko Komiyama, from the Constitutional Democratic Party, noted the formation of long queues at women's restrooms before plenary sessions. The cross-party petition asserts that the insufficient provision of restrooms could "potentially impact the conduct of proceedings and the performance of duties." Opposition MP Tomoe Ishii characterized the shortage as a long-standing issue.
Current Facility Overview
The parliament building, constructed in 1936, features:
- Female Toilets: Nine toilets with a total of 22 cubicles across the entire structure. Near the plenary chamber, one female toilet contains two cubicles. Source 3 specifies that these two cubicles are available to the 73 female members of the House of Representatives.
- Male Toilets: Twelve men's toilets equipped with 67 stalls and urinals across the building.
Evolution of Female Representation
Women gained the right to vote in Japan in 1945, with the first female members appointed to parliament in 1946. In October 2024, a record 73 women were elected to the 465-seat Lower House, surpassing the previous high of 54 in 2009. Women currently occupy nearly 16% of the seats in the Lower House and approximately one-third (42 out of 125) of the seats in the Upper House. Lawmakers have expressed a desire for improved facilities in anticipation of women holding over 30% of parliamentary seats in the future.
Official Responses and Broader Context
Yasukazu Hamada, Chair of the Lower House committee, has indicated a willingness to consider the proposal for additional women's toilets. The Japanese government had previously set a goal for women to hold 30% of leadership roles across all sectors by 2020, a timeframe later extended by a decade. Prime Minister Takaichi, who became Japan's first female leader in October 2023, had pledged to increase female representation in her cabinet; she subsequently appointed two women to her 19-member cabinet.
The issue of limited women's restroom facilities is not exclusive to the parliament building, with reports indicating that congestion is a common occurrence in public restrooms nationwide. Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had previously stated his government would explore enhancing women's restroom facilities. Japan was ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum's most recent Global Gender Gap Index.