Female Medical Students Outperform Men for the First Time in Japan.

Progress and Challenges: Japan's Journey Toward Gender Equality in Education

Current events in Japan highlight persistent problems with wages, education, and employment equity for women. Even if several laws have been established to support gender equality, true change won't happen until women are regarded equally. A noteworthy development was a survey performed by the Japan Education Ministry, which showed that, for the 2021 academic year, women were accepted into medical schools in Japan at a higher rate than men for the first time. Women's average pass rate was 13.60%, while men's was 13.51%. Since records began in 2013, this is the first time women have outperformed males in this category, making it a remarkable milestone.

This change comes after several scandals in 2018, where it was revealed that some medical schools, including Tokyo Medical University, manipulated exam scores to limit the number of female students. These scandals led to a government investigation into the entrance exams at medical schools. Between 2013 and 2018, the acceptance rate for male medical school applicants in Japan was 11.25%, while for females it was only 9.55%. However, recent data shows a significant improvement, with the gap nearly closed.

An official from the Ministry of Education noted that discrimination against women in admissions is no longer an issue, as the latest results indicate a minimal difference in acceptance rates between genders. In the most recent survey, 8,421 of 62,325 male applicants were accepted, compared to 5,880 out of 43,243 female applicants. Interestingly, in six of the ten schools that previously engaged in unfair admissions practices, the acceptance rate for women now exceeds that of men.

Tokyo Medical University, one of the ten schools implicated in unfair practices, admitted in August 2018 that it had intentionally lowered the scores of female applicants to limit their enrollment. This was done to avoid a shortage of doctors, as the university believed women were more likely to resign or take leave after marriage or childbirth. Following the government investigation, it was revealed that ten out of 81 medical schools in Japan had manipulated their entrance exams to favor male applicants and the relatives of alumni.
In the latest survey, even schools that weren’t involved in these practices showed a trend where more female applicants were being accepted than males. In the years from 2013 to 2018, the average number of schools where women outperform men in acceptance rates was 15. By the 2021 academic year, that number increased to 36 schools.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), adopted by the UN in 1979, was meant to eliminate discrimination and promote gender equality worldwide. Many Southeast Asian countries, including Japan, signed and ratified the treaty in 1985, pledging to work toward gender equality.
However, after 39 years, one must ask: Has the situation for women truly improved?

The recent tragic case of rape and murder in Kolkata has reignited concerns about women’s safety and equality in the workplace, yet political powers keep silence on these urgent issues. In South Korea, the gender pay gap stands at a staggering 34.6%, and the country faces high rates of physical violence against women. Across many Asian nations, women continue to experience gender-based violence, low participation in the labor force, and limited access to leadership roles.

In contrast, countries like Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Switzerland take women’s rights seriously and actively work toward equality. Talking about equality alone isn’t enough; it’s time for everyone to take action against discrimination and be part of the change.

Editor’s Note:

The recent case involving Japan's medical colleges has brought the issue of gender equality back into focus. On one hand, it shows progress in women’s representation in the medical field, but on the other hand, it highlights the ongoing challenges women still face. This isn’t just a problem in Japan; around the world, women often earn less than men and hold lower positions in the workplace. After childbirth, they may be treated unfairly, with assumptions that they can’t perform as well due to household responsibilities. 

Skoobuzz is dedicated to promoting and supporting gender equality in all areas of society. We urge our readers to move beyond just discussing equality let's make a real difference by taking action together.