The financial challenges faced by women extend to single-parent households, most of which are headed by women. Nearly 50 percent of these households live below the poverty line, with average annual incomes of ¥3.73 million (estimated US$23,529)— versus the ¥6.06 million (estimated US$40,000) earned by single fathers. 20 Nearly 2 million mothers with children in Japan have no jobs, and 22.5 percent of mother-child households have no savings at all. 21 These families struggle with not only financial insecurity but also a lack of support systems. These factors contribute to Japan’s growing child poverty rate, which is recognized as one of the highest among OECD countries. 22 Currently, one in seven Japanese children lives in poverty. 23 Personal Security Violence and abuse against women and children is on the rise in Japan. One in four women experience emotional or physical abuse. 24 The 122,806 suspected child abuse victims in 2023 represents a 6.1 percent increase over the previous year, amid growing concern and awareness about the abuse of minors. 25 Political Security The WEF Global Gender Gap Report also identifies the lack of political representation as a significant human rights challenge. Out of Group of Seven (G7) countries, females make up an estimated 10 percent of Japanese elected officials as compared to 30 percent in other member countries. 27 Environmental Security Climate Change and Energy Insecurity Japan is heavily dependent on energy imports, making it vulnerable to global energy market fluctuations. In 2022, Japan imported 90 percent of its total energy supply, with oil and coal accounting for 39 percent and 27 percent of the energy mix, respectively. 28 Moreover, Japan was the fifth-largest energy consumer in 2023. 29 Japan ranks as the third-largest public financier of fossil fuel projects globally, contributing an average of US$6.9 billion annually between 2020 and 2022. 30 This investment in fossil fuels is part of a larger global trend, where G20 countries and multilateral development banks allocate at least US$47 billion annually to such projects—1.4 times the amount invested in clean energy solutions. 31 Yet, to limit global warming to 1.5°C, 60 percent of the world’s fossil fuel and 90 percent of the world’s coal reserves must remain unextracted. 32 Japan’s Infrastructure Systems Export Strategy
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Ten Years in the Making
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