International and National Legal Frameworks on Gender Equality in the Workplace: Progress, Gaps, and Social Implications in Japan

Despite recent efforts by the Japanese government to promote women’s economic participation and strengthen gender equality in the workplace, significant disparities persist. In the 2025 Global Gender Gap Report released by the World Economic Forum, Japan ranked only 118th out of 148 countries, highlighting the limited effectiveness of existing measures. In this context, this thesis examines the gap between Japan’s formal international and domestic legal commitments to gender equality in the workplace and their practical implementation and enforcement. Thus, this thesis focuses firstly on specific international standards established under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and relevant conventions of the International Labour Organisation. It then analyses the historical evolution of Japanese domestic law concerning gender equality in the workplace. Once examined what is the current status of the law at both international and domestic level, the thesis moves on to discuss the reasons behind the gap between these formal commitments and their weak practical implementation and enforcement in Japan. Further, these limitations are discussed in light of their broader social implications. Ultimately, this thesis argues that while Japan has made gradual legal progress, substantive gender equality in employment remains limited by legislative and cultural factors. Addressing these limitations requires not only stronger legal compliance but also comprehensive structural reforms and a shift in societal and cultural norms.