Ministry adds female lecturers to online course after backlash

Aug 23, 2022 | News On Japan

Aug 23, 2022 (Japan Today) - Japan's land ministry said Monday it has added 15 women to the lineup of lecturers for a planned online course on community development for public servants, after it came under fire for having initially filled all 25 speaker spots with men.

The decision follows numerous complaints that the Japanese government has failed to implement more effective measures to increase female participation in the political and economic arenas.

Following the revision, the course hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will consist of 37 lecturers, with three of the men originally appointed having been replaced.

The cap on attendees of the course, which the ministry will begin from September, has also been doubled to 400 people.

The land ministry was criticized in the wake of its announcement of the course in July on its website and via social media. Twitter users asked why there was not a single woman on the panel, with some saying the community building would be male-centric. ...continue reading

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