Empowering Japan's Future Leaders
IWD 2025
International Women's Day
March 8, 2025
#AccelerateAction #IWD2025
Rethinking the "Norm"
Japan's Challenges and
Transformations on
International Women's Day
Japan’s gender gap remains an ongoing challenge. According to the “Global Gender Gap Report 2024” published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in June 2024, Japan ranked 118th out of 146 countries. While this is a slight improvement from its 125th ranking in the previous year, disparities in politics and economics persist, keeping Japan amongst the lowest ranks.
In light of this situation, One Young World Japan took the opportunity of International Women’s Day to reflect on gender issues in Japan. In this discussion, we invited One Young World (OYW) Ambassadors Naomi Iwazawa and Sharnie Hayasaka to explore Japan’s gender challenges from an international perspective and discuss the future of gender equality in the country.
How Unconscious Bias
Shapes the Portrayal of Women
In recent years, Japan has seen an increasing number of controversies related to gender representation. Commercials and advertisements are frequently criticized for reinforcing unconscious biases, and campaign visuals have sparked backlash over problematic portrayals of women. How do you perceive this trend?
Recently, a commercial for udon noodles went viral for the wrong reasons. It featured an animated girl eating udon alone in a dimly lit room, and the unnecessarily sexualized depiction caught my attention. I believe such portrayals, even if unintentional, impose unrealistic ideals and hypersexualize women.
I agree. What particularly stood out to me was the underlying male perspective—an implicit desire for women to conform to certain expectations. These biases might be unconscious, but they shape the way women are depicted. The lack of spaces for discussions on these issues is part of the problem.
This isn’t a new issue. There have been repeated instances where campaign posters overly emphasized female characters’ chests, drawing criticism for being inappropriate in public spaces. Similarly, promotional tourism posters have faced scrutiny for how they depict female characters’ attire and poses. These cases highlight how inappropriate representations are used without considering their social impact. While freedom of expression is important, we also need to consider whether certain portrayals are suitable for public display.
Even if something is legally permissible, there is little discussion about whether it is appropriate for public spaces. For instance, television commercials are aired during family meal times, meaning they are seen by children as well.
When I first moved to Japan, I was shocked to see magazines with overtly sexual content openly displayed in convenience stores. It’s not just a legal matter—societal values should also be questioned. The normalization of such content in everyday spaces raises important concerns about what is deemed acceptable and why.
I once walked around Japan with international students, and they were surprised by the sexualized posters displayed in public spaces. They asked, “Is this appropriate for a public area?” I realized I had become accustomed to such sights, which made me feel slightly embarrassed. It made me question why I had accepted them without resistance. But, challenging such norms requires awareness and effort.
Exactly. These things tend to be widely accepted and seen as being “just the way it is.”.’ Japan is filled with overly sexualized and hugely inappropriate imagery, yet it’s rarely questioned. It’s strange how exaggerated depictions of women’s bodies and sexualising minors is still somewhat normalized.
The Issue Of Harassment
A foreign friend once asked me about why Japanese phones have mandatory shutter sounds. I explained that it was an anti-molestation measure, and they were visibly shocked.
It’s quite sad that Japan relies on tools and rules to address issues like harassment because there is a culture of “turning a blind eye.”
In Australia and many other countries, phones don’t have mandatory shutter sounds. Sexual harassment is undeniable and found in every country on Earth. However, in Japan, the numbers of “chikan” and “tousatsu” in Japan is unusually excessive and the reason why such measures have been implemented.
In Japan, people often choose to stay silent rather than speak up, which only perpetuates the problem.
This also applies to workplaces. For example, if a superior makes a sexist remark, it is often brushed off as having “never happened.” If they or someone else who witnessed the incident comes forward, they could be shunned or suffer negative repercussions to their career. In such an environment, women find their choices—such as clothing and behavior—unnecessarily restricted. Even as women continue to enter the workforce, these obstacles remain. When women try to live freely, they are often told they are “overstepping” or “not acting feminine enough.” Too often, their voices are dismissed, silenced, or ignored; reinforcing a system that keeps these norms in place.
There are ingrained societal norms, and challenging them is often perceived as an attack. However, this is not about opposition—it’s part of the process of creating a more just society.
Impossible Beauty Standards
In Japan, the concept of beauty is narrowly defined, and people often feel pressured to conform.
In Australia, it’s often said that: ‘If it can’t be changed in five seconds, don’t say it at all.’ For example, if you notice a piece of food stuck in someone’s teeth, that might be helpful for the other person to point out. However, criticizing their teeth alignment would obviously not be. Looking at fashion magazines, Japan tends to feature models who fall in the narrow beauty standards, often with similar body types and skin colour. It’s important that the beauty standards in Japan change. Beauty is in diversity, diversity is beauty. Japan has a diverse population which is becoming more and more diverse every day and I think it’s important for that to be reflected and all kinds of beauty be celebrated.
Media plays a role in enforcing these standards. A narrow definition of ‘cute’ makes it difficult for alternative styles to be accepted. When I was in middle school, I attended an international school in Germany. The fashion magazines my friends showed me had models with diverse skin tones and body types. One of my friends said, ‘I love this model because she has a body shape and skin tone similar to mine.’ That was eye-opening.
If you constantly feel pressured to fit a specific mold, it becomes ‘normal.’ In Japan, beauty standards are still largely based on the idea that ‘women should look and act so that they are desirable to men.
Women are often in a position where they are constantly evaluated, making life feel like an ongoing beauty contest. Not just in appearance, but in behavior as well. Women who conform to societal expectations are recognized, while those who don’t may feel like they lack value.
Why Women Are Needed
in Decision-Making Roles
There are often cases where an ideal image of how one should be is imposed on people, sometimes unconsciously. But, should concepts like “beauty” or “femininity” be forced upon others? How do you think we should balance this?
There are still strong beliefs that blame women for negative experiences—like “You shouldn’t have worn that outfit” or “You should have protected yourself better.” Therefore, sometimes even something as simple as sitting next to a man on the train can require unnecessary caution.
Ultimately, these perspectives neglect the voice of those who should be protected.
Even as women push for change, they often face criticism for “going too far” when all we want is equal rights and to not be harrassed.
Certain groups are privileged by the existing system, and attempts to reform it are sometimes perceived as an attack. This often forces women into silence.
I try to detach myself from seeking male approval, but it’s not always easy—especially in professional settings, where men often hold decision-making power. Women are expected to display qualities like “cuteness” or “consideration,” which are not demanded or expected of men.
It’s not just about having more women in decision-making positions. If they have been conditioned to conform to male-dominated values, it won’t bring real change. However, Japan clearly lacks female decision-makers, and increasing their numbers is the first step.
Respecting Diversity & Authenticity
Finally, when faced with societal pressure to conform to an ideal image, what advice do you have on how to respect diversity and live authentically?
When you feel a sense of hopelessness, it might be helpful to look for communities on social media. Finding others who share similar experiences can make you feel less alone. For example, recently, I’ve been seeing posts on TikTok with the hashtag #runlikeagirl. The phrase “like a girl” is often used negatively – in Australia, too.
In one particular video, when adult men and women were asked to “run like a girl,” they exaggerated their movements in a mocking way. However, when children were asked to do the same, they ran naturally, without any hesitation. Watching this made me reflect on how societal biases influence us as we grow up, and it reminded me to be more conscious of these biases.
I still catch myself unconsciously judging people based on their appearance. When this happens, I create an “inner self” within me and have a dialogue with that self—asking how I truly feel about my judgment. At first, this process takes time, but gradually, I notice that my biases start to shift and correct themselves.
Society—including Japan—is still in the middle of transformation, and at times, some level of compromise may be unavoidable to protect yourself. But remember, you are not alone. Keep questioning: Why do I have to do this? By thinking together with like-minded people and tactically raising your voice, even little by little, you can help drive change.
Momoko Amemiya
An editor practicing a dual-location lifestyle between Belgium and Japan. After graduating from Waseda University’s School of Political Science and Economics, Momoko Amemiya began her career as an editorial assistant at Forbes JAPAN before joining Nikkei Inc. as a journalist, covering job-hunting trends and the startup ecosystem.
Later, she was seconded to Nikkei BP (formerly Nikkei Publishing Inc.), where she edited over 60 business books. Among her notable works, “Nikkei Bunko: Introduction to SDGs” and “A Father’s Guide to Financial Education for 13-Year-Olds” have each sold over 100,000 copies.
While working, she pursued an MBA at Nagoya University of Commerce & Business. In August 2022, she left her corporate career to become independent and relocated to Belgium. In 2024, she completed an advanced master’s program at Louvain School of Management. She was a Japan delegate for One Young World 2022 (also known as the Young Davos Conference) and serves as a media advisor in 2025.
Beyond writing for media outlets, she provides editorial services and supports foreign companies entering the Japanese market.
Sharnie Hayasaka
Born in Sendai in 1997 and raised in Gold Coast, Australia, Sharnie Hayasaka is of mixed heritage, with an Australian father and a Japanese mother. In 2018, she began her modeling career in Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Japan after representing Japan in Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 6.
Having developed an interest in women’s issues and environmental concerns from a young age, she obtained her legal license in Queensland, Australia, in 2022. She is currently active as an ambassador for One Young World Japan.
Naomi Iwazawa
Born in Prague to a Japanese-Czech heritage, Naomi Iwasawa was raised in Japan, Hungary, and Germany. Aspiring to create a diverse society where differences are valued, she founded Culmony during high school. The organization provides educational programs that promote cross-cultural understanding and diversity & inclusion (D&I) training for schools and businesses.
She is also actively involved as a council member at Nitobe Bunka Gakuen, a One Young World ambassador, and a member of the Global Shapers community.
In addition, she is engaged in public speaking and writing, frequently appearing in the media as a regular commentator on Abema TV’s Abema Prime and contributing to NewsPicks. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Tokyo, researching intercultural competency learning programs and learning environment design.
Her hobbies include freediving and surfing. She collects salts from around the world and has a deep appreciation for wine and sake.
