Forget ‘womenomics’, Shinzo Abe’s policies have failed women, Japanese opposition chief claims

The most prominent leader of Japan’s beleaguered opposition is seeking to dent Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s popularity, blasting his failure to uplift women and rush to change the country’s pacifist constitution.

While Renho drew plaudits for becoming the first female leader of a major Japanese party in more than a decade last year, her approach has so far failed to resonate with voters. Abe remains on course to win an election due by the end of next year that could open the way for him to become the country’s longest-serving premier.

Japan’s opposition is now weaker than at any time since the second world war, Gerald Curtis, emeritus professor of political science at Columbia University, said in an essay last month. A poll by public broadcaster NHK put support for Renho’s party at 7.3 per cent this month, compared with 37.5 per cent for Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party.

Abe had vowed to eliminate waiting lists for childcare in a bid to draw more women into the workforce to make up for Japan’s shrinking population. He also sought to have women take 30 per cent of management positions in all fields by 2020.