Japan Ranks 151st In Proportion Of Women Ministers
The latest "Women in Politics" map shows that the proportion of women holding ministerial posts across the world has reached an all-time high of 21.9 percent.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN Women on Wednesday released the data for women in ministerial posts as of January 1, 2021.
The figure rose 0.6 percentage point from a year ago to show an all-time high since data-keeping began in 2005.
Thirteen countries in Central America, Europe and Africa had women holding more than half the available ministerial posts.
Nicaragua topped the list, with 58.8 percent, followed by Austria, Belgium and Sweden, with 57.1 percent.
Meanwhile, the ratio of women ministers in Japan stood at 10 percent. Its ranking, which was 113th in the world the year before, fell to 151st place.
Among the Group of Seven industrialized nations, Canada ranked eighth, with 51.4 percent of ministries led by women. France followed close behind, with 50 percent, and the United States ranked in 16th place, with 46.2 percent.
Japan was the only country in the G7 bloc to rank below 100th place.
UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said the map shows that the world still needs "bold, decisive action across the world to bring women into the heart of the decision-making spaces in large numbers and as full partners."