Japan ranks 117th in WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2026

The World Economic Forum (WEF) released its Global Gender Gap Report 2026, ranking Japan 117th out of 145 countries. While Japan improved one spot from the previous year, its overall score of 67.0% remains low, placing it third from the bottom in the East Asia and Pacific region.

Japan's performance varies across the four measured sectors. The country ranks 49th in health and 68th in education, with high literacy and near-parity in higher education. However, economic participation and opportunity fell to 119th, despite long-term improvements in labor participation and management roles since 2006. Political empowerment remains the weakest area, with Japan ranking 121st.

In the political sector, female representation in the Diet and cabinet remains significantly low. Critics note that despite the leadership of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the proportion of women in the cabinet and the recent decrease in female election winners highlight structural barriers. In contrast, Iceland continues to lead the world, ranking first for the 17th consecutive time by implementing policies such as parental leave for fathers and gender quotas for corporate boards.