Japan Joins International Group To Improve Status Of Women

Japan joined the Equal Futures Partnership, a U.S.-led multilateral initiative to increase political and economic participation by women, at a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.

"I would like to affirm our resolve to work with you all to expand participation in economic and political spheres by women both in Japan and around the world," Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told the group of representatives.

To achieve the initiative's goals, Kishida pledged Japan would make it easier for men and women to balance work and child rearing, offer incentives to companies that place women in active roles and promote employees' work-family balance, and increase the percentage of women in governmental leadership positions to 30% by 2020.

Japan, Italy, and Mexico were the latest members to join 24 countries in the initiative. The partnership was formed in 2012 by then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and included thirteen countries.

==Kyodo