Japan PM Sanae Takaichi Demands More Women's Toilets In Parliament

Japan's parliament is talking about something super basic but actually really important. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has teamed up with women lawmakers to demand more female toilets on the parliament premises. As women’s presence in politics has grown, it’s obvious that the system wasn’t designed for them, and the flaws are finally being called out.

There is one female toilet with two cubicles near the plenary chamber, though the entire building itself has nine female toilets - a total of 22 cubicles for the 73 women legislators.

With more women representative growing in the House, the building’s male-centric design is becoming impossible to ignore. Female MPs say that staying in restroom lines before important sessions has become common.

What was earlier ignored is now clearly affecting how things work, making it harder for parliament to run smoothly.

When Representation Grows, but Systems Don’t

The issue picked up attention in December 2025 when women lawmakers officially spoke up. They pointed out that even though more women are now in parliament, the facilities haven’t been updated to match this change. 

“Before the main assembly session, a truly large number of female lawmakers line up in front of the women’s restroom,” Yasuko Komiyama, a member of the opposition CDP, said in a Facebook post quoted by the BBC.

The demand has support from members across different political parties, which is rare in Japan’s usually rigid political setup.

Supporters say the shortage of women’s restrooms affects not just female MPs but also women staff members and journalists who work inside parliament.

Japan is Still Behind on Gender Equality

Japan has a long way to go on gender equality. Politics and offices have traditionally been dominated by men and change has been slow over the years. \

The country still ranks 118th out of 148 on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index.

Last year was historic, with the election of Japan’s first woman prime minister and more women entering parliament. But women still make up only a small share of lawmakers in the lower house.

This shows that big moments don’t always lead to real everyday change.

The Japanese parliament building reflects this gap. It was built in the 1930s, before women had the right to vote; it was never planned for women lawmakers. Many years later, that old design is still affecting how women work inside the building.

Representation vs Tokenism

Having women in power isn’t enough; the system around them needs to actually work for them. If nothing changes, it’s not real equality; it’s just tokenism that looks good on paper.

Women in leadership need basic support to do their jobs properly, even something as simple as enough restrooms. Without that, inclusion stays only for show, fine for headlines, but not real change.

Fixing toilets won’t solve gender inequality instantly, but it’s a step in the right direction. True progress is seen in whether the system actually works for everyone, not just in words, but also in actions.

Views expressed by the author are their own.