Sexism and power in Japan

Japan ranked 121 out of 153 countries in the World Economic Forum's latest global gender gap index. There are far fewer working women than men in the country -- and those who do work are often sidelined or blocked from senior management roles. At home, too, women take on the bulk of domestic work like childcare, cooking, and cleaning.

The gap widens further in politics. As of October this year, 46 of 465 lower house lawmakers in Japan were women. That's fewer than 10%, compared to a 25% global average.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged in 2013 to close the gender employment gap, a policy dubbed "Womenomics." But seven years on, the campaign has had limited success, with gender discrimination and inequality still rife. The #MeToo movement led to concrete progress in other countries and a shift in cultural conversation -- but it was met with resistance in Japan.

In a case that gained international attention in 2017, freelance journalist Shiori Ito alleged a high-profile journalist had invited her to dinner two years prior, and then raped her. 

The response was far from supportive -- she received threats, backlash on social media, and even fled Japan, fearing for her and her family's safety. Even authorities tried to discourage her from pursuing legal action, she said.