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Integrating Gender Perspectives: A New Era for Japan’s Ministry of Defense
December 9, 2024 @ 8:00 am - 9:30 am
On Monday, December 9, Sasakawa USA hosted a SWAN breakfast roundtable featuring Ms. Tomoko Matsuzawa, Director for International Cooperation on Women, Peace and Security and Gender Advisor at the Japan Ministry of Defense. Given her extensive experience spearheading the development and implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda within the Ministry of Defense and Self Defense Forces, Ms. Matsuzawa shared her reflections on the progress of these efforts and underscore the significance of WPS to foster a more inclusive and resilient Japan and Indo-Pacific.
Dr. Satohiro Akimoto
Dr. Satohiro Akimoto, Chairman and President of Sasakawa USA, provided opening remarks, noting the importance of open and holistic conversation regarding the U.S.-Japan alliance from various angles, with WPS being one such angle. Ms. Shoji followed by introducing Ms. Matsuzawa’s work at the Ministry of Defense, emphasizing the progress that has been made since she assumed the newly created position of Director for International Cooperation on WPS in June 2023.
Ms. Shanti Shoji
In her remarks, Ms. Matsuzawa highlighted the Ministry’s latest initiatives and activities to implement WPS, including the adoption of the first Ministry-wide WPS Promotion Plan that establishes clear goals to further advance WPS, both internally with civilian and military personnel at all levels, and externally through international cooperation and the Self Defense Forces’ activities.
Topics touched upon during the discussion with participants included education, and the need for exposure to young students, particularly those in high school, about national security. Ms. Matsuzawa noted that the Ministry has set a target to increase the ratio of women in managerial Self-Defense Force positions to 5% by 2025, and to raise the overall proportion of female SF personnel to more than 12% by 2030. She also stated that recruitment efforts will continue to target both male and female high school students.
The implementation of WPS in the Self Defense Forces’ disaster relief activities was also discussed, particularly as it relates to their response to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024, with the deployment of female military personnel, as well as the Joint Exercise for Rescue in May 2024 to practice the execution of emergency response measures that incorporate the needs of women and children.
Finally, Ms. Matsuzawa stressed the crucial role that WPS can play as a practical platform to strengthen defense cooperation between countries and raised the Ministry’s collaborative project with ASEAN and Pacific Island nations to create synergies in the Indo-Pacific region. The importance of buy-in from senior leadership was emphasized in order to sustain these efforts in the long-term.
Top photo (first row, left to right): Ms. Shanti Shoji, Ms. Tomoko Matsuzawa, and Dr. Sonya Finley, (second row, left to right) Dr. Satohiro Akimoto, Ms. Jennifer Hong Whetsell, Ms. Monica Weller, Ms. Francesca McCallister, Ms. Shiori Okazaki, Ms. Eri Kimura, Ms. Makoto Tsujiguchi, Ms. Mirna Galic, and Ms. Cassie Rodriguez
