Kyodo News to host symposium on gender equality in agriculture

Kyodo News and the Japan Agricultural Newspaper will host a symposium titled ‘Gender Equality from the Region 2026’ on October 15 in Tokyo. The event aims to address gender gaps and traditional customs within the agricultural sector, timed in anticipation of the United Nations’ ‘International Year of Women in Agriculture’ in 2026.

The symposium will be held in a hybrid format at the Tokyo Women's Plaza Hall and via online streaming. It features a panel of experts, including Komazawa University Professor Akira Aneha, Green Omi Agricultural Cooperative Representative Director Shigematsu Obayashi, farmer Tomoko Shinkai, and Kyodo News Media Center Director Eriko Yamawaki. The session is supported by the Cabinet Office’s Gender Equality Bureau and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.