Top > What's up around the Prime Minister > June, 2005

National Conference on the Creation of a Gender-equal Society Friday, June 24, 2005 JAPANESE Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi attended the National Conference on the Creation of a Gender-equal Society held in Tokyo. The National Conference is held as the main event of the "Gender Equality Week" in order to gain further understanding and cooperation of people towards the creation of a gender-equal society by providing an opportunity to think about what are necessary for the realization of a gender-equal society and how the Japanese society should advance in the future. Prime Minister Koizumi who is also the Chair of the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality opened the conference by stating, "Three years ago, we had estimated the number of children on the waiting list for nursery schools to be 150,000, but this fiscal year, we achieved the target rate that was set back then. However, it is also true that the number of children on the waiting list has increased compared to three years ago, and we are thus engaging in various creative measures to achieve our goal of zero-waiting list for nursery schools. Furthermore, I intend to endeavor to develop an environment that would enable women to participate in activities in all areas of society in an equal manner as men." After his speech, the winners of the Awarding of Commendation for Promoting Gender-Equal Society, the Supporter for Women's Challenges, the Slogan for the "Gender Equality Week" and others were introduced. This was followed by a keynote speech by Ms. Kuniko Inoguchi, a member of the Council for Gender Equality, and a symposium.