Gender and Society

Chapter 3 Council for Gender Equality
(Council for Gender Equality)
Article 21

1. There is hereby established a Council for Gender Equality (hereinafter referred to as the "Council") in the Prime Minister's Office.

2. The Council shall be in charge of the following tasks:

(1) To handle the tasks stipulated in Article 13 Paragraph 3 with regard to the Basic Plan for Gender Equality.

(2) In addition to the task referred to in the preceding item, to study and deliberate on basic and comprehensive policies and important matters with regard to promotion of formation of a Gender-equal Society in response to the consultation by the Prime Minister or other respective Ministers concerned.

3. The Council may submit its opinions to the Prime Minister or other respective Ministers concerned with regard to the matters stipulated in the preceding paragraph.

(Organization)
Article 22

1. The Council shall be composed of no more than 25 members.

2. Each number of women and men members of the Council may not fall below 40 percent of the total number of the members.

(Council Members)
Article 23

1. The Council members shall be appointed by the Prime Minister from among persons of learning and experience.

2. The Council members shall serve a term of two years. However, members who have stepped in as substitutes shall serve the amount of time remaining of the original member's term.

3. The Council members can be re-appointed.

4. The Council members shall serve on a part-time basis.

(Council Chairperson)
Article 24

1. The Council shall be headed by a Chairperson elected by the Council members from among the Council members.

2. The Chairperson shall preside over Council affairs and represent the Council.

3. When the Chairperson meets with an accident, a Council member designated beforehand by the Chairperson shall act as proxy Chairperson.

(Submission of Materials and Other Cooperation)
Article 25

1. The Council may seek necessary cooperation from the heads of related administrative institutions including the submission of materials, statements of views, and explanations where this is recognized as necessary in the Council's execution of its duties.

2. The Council may also seek necessary cooperation from persons other than those stipulated in the preceding paragraph, where this is recognized as especially necessary in the Council's execution of its dudies.

(Stipulation by Cabinet Ordinance)
Article 26

Any necessary Council-related provisions which are not stipulated in this Chapter shall be stipulated by Cabinet ordinance.

Supplementary Provisions

(Date of Enforcement)
Article 1

This law shall enter into force on the day of promulgation.

(Abrogation of the Establishment Law of the Council for Gender Equality)
Article 2

The Establishment Law of the Council for Gender Equality (Law No. 7 of 1997) shall be abrogated.

(Transitional Measures)
Article 3

1. The Council for Gender Equality established under Article 1 of the Establishment Law of the Council for Gender Equality (hereinafter referred to as "the old Council Establishment Law"), which existed before the abrogation stipulated in the preceding article, shall become the body entitled Council for Gender Equality as established under Article 21 Paragraph 1, and shall continue to exist as the one and the same entity.

2. When this Basic Law enters into force, those members appointed to the Council under the provisions in Article 4 Paragraph 1 of the old Council Establishment Law shall be regarded as having been appointed as members of the Council for Gender Equality under the provisions of Article 23 Paragraph 1 as of the date this law enters into force. In this case, regardless of the provision in Article 23 Paragraph 2, the term of service for those persons considered to have been appointed as above shall be the same as the term remaining as of the date this law enters into force for those members appointed to the Council according to the provisions in Article 4 Paragraph 2 of the old Council Establishment Law.

3. When this Law enters into force, the Chairperson of the Council as determined in the provisions of Article 5 Paragraph 1 in the old Council Establishment Law, or the Council member designated in the provisions of Article 5 Paragraph 3, shall be stipulated as the Chairperson as of the date this law enters into force according to the provisions of Article 24 Paragraph 1 in the case of the former, or, in the case of the latter, be regarded as having been designated as the Council member carrying out the Chairperson's duties on behalf of the Chairperson under the provisions in Article 24 Paragraph 3.

(Partial Amendment of the Establishment Law of the Prime Minister's Office)
Article 4

The Establishment Law of the Prime Minister's Office (Law No. 127 of 1949) shall be partially amended as follows.

The following item shall be added after Article 4 (4):
(4-2) The draft of the Basic Plan for Gender Equality stipulated in Article 13 Paragraph 1 shall be formulated based on the provisions in Article 13 Paragraph 3 of the Basic Law for a Gender-equal Society (Law No. 78 of 1999).

The English language version of this law is a translation of an original document produced in Japanese. Any questions that may arise about the interpretation of the law shall be resolved with regard to the original Japanese document.