Mio Washizu: Toward a Society Where Women Can Work Easily—Fukui Prefecture's Challenge

2024/02/09

We would like to express our deepest condolences to those who lost their lives in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that occurred on January 1, 2024, and our heartfelt sympathy to all those affected by the disaster. We sincerely pray for the safety of all those affected and for the earliest possible recovery and reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas.

In Fukui Prefecture, the percentage of dual-income households is 61.2% (2020 Census; the same source applies hereafter unless otherwise noted), ranking first in Japan and making it the nation's top dual-income society. The female employment rate is also 55.6%, ranking second in the country, and the percentage of female regular employees is 54.6%, ranking sixth, indicating a very high number of working women. On the other hand, the percentage of women in managerial positions is 13.5%, which is the 7th worst in the country, showing that while many women work, they do not hold managerial positions within their organizations. Furthermore, according to a private survey asking women about their desire for promotion to managerial positions, 33.3% answered that they want to become a manager or would like to if recommended, while only 25% answered that they thought it was possible for them to become one, which was lower than their level of motivation. Moreover, nearly 70% of respondents said they do not want to become managers, and the most common reason given was that the burden of housework, childcare, and nursing care is greater for them than for men.

For reference, according to the 2021 Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities, the "gender gap in housework and childcare time" was 2 hours and 10 minutes, which is relatively long compared to the rest of the country (ranking 30th in Japan, starting from the shortest). Additionally, looking at the "gender gap in leisure time (time that can be used for rest, hobbies, etc.)," the results showed the largest gap in the country. These data reveal a situation in Fukui Prefecture where the burden of housework and childcare is skewed toward women.

This situation has been supported over generations by a high rate of three-generation households. While this is a common trend in the Hokuriku region, the three-generation household rate in Fukui Prefecture is 11.5%, more than double the national average. Furthermore, if we include those living nearby (within a 30-minute drive), it is said that nearly 60% of people are in a situation where they can receive daily support from relatives through cohabitation or proximity. While there is no doubt that this supports working women and serves as the underlying strength of Japan's top dual-income society, it is also thought to have influenced the background of why men's participation in childcare has not progressed.

I was appointed Vice Governor of Fukui Prefecture in August 2023. I am the first woman to serve as Vice Governor in this prefecture, and I have been given the important mission of promoting "women's empowerment." However, since taking office, the words I often hear from women in the prefecture are things like, "Even if I'm told to be active, I can't do any more than this," or "I'm busy with both work and home." In this prefecture with a high female employment rate, I have come to feel that the essence of enabling women to live vibrantly and challenge themselves to do what they want without hesitation lies in creating a society that is easy to work in and where it is easy to balance work and family.

By changing the current situation where both work and home are difficult into an environment where people can live with the actual feeling that work, home, and private life are all fulfilling and enjoyable, we will lead to the realization of a society where each individual can challenge various things with motivation and play an active role. To achieve this, it is necessary to build a foundation that makes it easier to balance these aspects.

The first key to building a foundation for balance is having a workplace that is easy to work in. It is important to reform the way people work in the workplace, establish flexible working styles such as telecommuting, and increase diverse forms of employment such as short-time regular employment, while simultaneously improving productivity. I want to strengthen incentives for companies to implement work-style reforms and provide hands-on support.

Furthermore, we must change the structure where the burden of housework and childcare is concentrated on women, not only in the workplace but also at home. To this end, it is necessary to create an environment where housework and childcare themselves can be shared among various entities through various options such as sharing, labor-saving, and outsourcing. In our prefecture, where private childcare services are not as abundant as in urban areas, providing support to increase these options is a major role required of the administration. We are working to enhance measures to realize the "Fuku-iku Prefecture," the happiest prefecture for raising children in Japan.

On top of that, we will also promote initiatives that allow each individual to encounter diverse role models, cultivate their own desire to take on challenges, and improve their skills.

To move forward with these efforts, transformation is necessary in terms of changing existing methods and cultures. To achieve transformation, we will work persistently to recognize the existence of unconscious bias and to foster a momentum that promotes, for example, men's participation in housework and childcare.

A society where it is easy for women to work is surely easy for men to work in as well. I believe that a state where everyone can easily balance family, private life, and work, and where both men and women can vibrantly take on challenges, will bring a positive outlook for the next generation to live, work, and give birth and raise children here. The Hokuriku Shinkansen will soon open in Fukui Prefecture. To ensure that the society of Fukui Prefecture seen beyond the opening is a society full of hope where everyone can work easily and achieve balance, I want to aim for its realization as "All Fukui" by layering efforts in the workplace, at home, and in the community.