Statement of Purpose for the Establishment of the Forum

The Basic Act for Gender Equal Society, enacted in June 1999, states in its preamble that “the realization of a gender-equal society in which women and men mutually respect each other’s human rights, share responsibilities, and are able to fully exercise their individuality and abilities regardless of gender” is an “urgent issue” and positions it as “the most important challenge that will shape Japanese society in the 21st century.” Internationally as well, the realization of a gender-equal society is regarded as one of the core themes of the 21st century, often called “the century of human rights.” The goal of a gender-equal society is not merely the “improvement of women’s status,” which was emphasized in the previous century, but the construction of a 21st‑century model social system free from gender-based bias and inclusive of all genders.

To achieve this 21st‑century model gender-equal society, the preamble of the Basic Act stipulates that “it is important to promote measures for the formation of a gender-equal society in all fields of society.” In other words, gender equality must be realized across all sectors of society, and these sectors must work together organically to generate synergistic effects so that society as a whole becomes gender-equal. However, efforts to realize a gender-equal society have often remained confined within individual sectors, and attempts to create organic collaboration and synergy across sectors have not necessarily been undertaken in a deliberate manner.

In response, the Aichi Gender Equality Promotion – Industry–Academia–Government Collaboration Forum has been established with the aim of achieving gender equality that permeates every corner of society through cooperation among industry, academia, and government. The purpose of this forum is to exchange and connect the efforts that each sector has individually undertaken to promote gender equality, identify points of intersection, strengthen collaboration, and compile proposals. Through this process, the forum seeks to encourage proactive, internal transformation within society and contribute to the realization of a gender-equal society in Japan. With the establishment of this forum, the various measures developed and advanced in each sector are expected to resonate with one another, enhancing their effectiveness and generating new proposals for further progress.