Japan

TSU, MIE PREF. – Female politicians and leaders in Japan are more likely to face gender bias and sexual harassment than their male counterparts, with their competence often questioned regardless of past experience, a recent survey by Kyodo News covering female heads of municipalities found.

A group of researchers and female politicians said Monday that they will start a campaign to help mothers with young children run in next April’s nationwide gubernatorial and municipal assembly elections.

The project, called “Kosodate Senkyo Hack!” (which roughly translates as “tackling elections while child-rearing”), aims to give a greater voice in local politics to the dwindling ranks of families with small children by having mothers become lawmakers, project members told a news conference in Tokyo.

Sunday’s Upper House election saw a record 35 seats go to women, with veteran lawmakers and new contenders of all stripes voted in.

Local politicians across Japan feel that more needs to be done to help women enter and remain in politics, from combatting sexual harassment to beefing up maternity leave policies, according to a new survey.

And assemblymen pointed to another obstacle they think is preventing women from breaking the glass ceiling: The views of their own supporters.