The existence of institutions and social systems in Japan unfair to women in a wide range of fields has been pointed out. The government and the National Diet have to take this issue seriously.

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) released "concluding observations" calling for revised measures by the Japanese government on women's issues.

In a periodic review to see whether parties to CEDAW are taking measures to comply with the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Japanese government faced its first review in eight years. Opinions were also heard from those connected with civil groups that tackle gender equality.

The first issue raised in the report is the introduction of a selective surname system allowing both members of a couple to choose whether to keep their separate last names or take the same one upon marriage. The Convention stipulates for husbands and wives to be guaranteed equality regarding the choosing of last names. Japan is considered to be the only country that mandates couples to share a last name, and 95% of couples select to preserve the husband's family name.

The U.N. body has been asking Japan to establish a selective surname system since 2003, and this is the fourth time the issue has been presented. The Civil Code and other laws have still not been revised, leading us to say only that the gist of the Convention is being ignored.

The final opinion also showed concern over the lack of female representatives in the Diet. It proposed temporarily lowering the amount of election deposits candidates must pay in order to increase the number of women vying for political positions.

In last month's lower house election, 73 female representatives were elected, setting a new record with a ratio of 15.7%. However, considering half the population are women, this is far from sufficient.

The problem is not expected to be resolved quickly while relying on political parties' own strategies. Effective measures should be crafted, such as having the proportion of female candidates reflected in the allocation of political party subsidies.

Measures regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights were also brought up. The review called for Japan to facilitate access to emergency contraceptives and to stop requiring spousal consent for abortion.

CEDAW this time also mentioned the Imperial Household Law, which currently limits succession to Japan's Imperial Throne to male descendants in the male line, calling for a revision based on its incompatibility with the Convention's principles. The government's delegates protested, claiming that it touched upon a fundamental element of the nation. However, stable succession to the throne is an urgent issue, and the Diet needs to have proactive discussions on the matter.

Japan's Constitution calls for compliance with treaties and international laws and regulations in good faith. The national government must live up to its responsibility to protect women's rights and eliminate discrimination.