(Asahi: February 27, 2015 – p. 4)

 A suprapartisan “group of Diet members to promote women’s participation in politics and female empowerment” aiming at increasing the number of female Diet members was established on Feb. 26. About 20 Diet members from political parties, including the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan, and the Japan Innovation Party, have joined the group. In order to boost the percentage of female candidates in Lowe and Upper Houses’ elections to 30% in 2020, the group advocates introducing a “quota system,” under which a certain percentage of all candidates should be women.