Video Message from Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio on International Women's Day

[Provisional translation]

I am KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan.
 
March 8 is International Women's Day, as the United Nations declared in 1975. I once more express my respect and appreciation for the cooperation and support extended by the people of Japan, where we are actively working for women’s empowerment and gender equality, and the people of the world. I wish to celebrate this day together with all of you.
 
Women’s empowerment and gender equality are indispensable elements for realizing a society in which all people feel their purpose in life and diversity is respected and for sustainably developing Japan’s economy and society.
 
The Government will act as one in tackling such challenges as accelerating the appointment of women to executive positions in companies and other entities, enhancing our measures to support the balancing of jobs and family life, and rectifying wage disparities between men and women. We will engage in all-out efforts to support women’s empowerment.
 
In addition, we will work to bring about a society in which everyone is able to live with peace of mind, including through measures to combat sexual crime and sexual violence and the steady enforcement of the New Act on Support for Women Facing Difficulties that supports women facing various complex and compounded difficulties and the Revised Act on the Prevention of Spousal Violence and the Protection of Victims to expand support for survivors and victims.
 
In addition, the Noto Peninsula Earthquake struck on New Year’s Day this year, and people are battling harsh conditions there even now. We will continue to respond to this disaster in ways grounded in the viewpoint of gender equality.
 
Here as we mark International Women's Day, as prime minister, I pledge once again to do my utmost to enable all women, in Japan and throughout the world, to walk dynamically down the paths that they themselves have chosen.