The Council for Gender Equality, an advisory body to the Prime Minister chaired by Sumiko Iwao, Professor at the Musashi Institute of Technology and Professor Emeritus of Keio University, submitted a report titled "Basic Policies to Address Violence Against Women" to Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.

The council began investigating violence against women in June 1997. In May 1999 it submitted a report titled "Toward a Society Free of Violence Against Women" recommending a number of initial measures. The present report, building on changes since the first report and the results of a survey of violence between men and women conducted by the Prime Minister's Office in fiscal 1999, pointed out common factors characterizing various forms of violence against women, discussed the current situation with regard to violence by husbands and partners, sex crimes, prostitution, sexual harassment, and stalking, and recommended further initiatives to reduce violence against women.