First Female Cabinet Minister Day

What Is First Female Cabinet Minister Day?

Every July 19th is "First Female Cabinet Minister Day" (女性大臣の日, Josei Daijin no Hi) in Japan. On July 19, 1960, Nakayama Masa (中山マサ) was appointed Minister of Health and Welfare in Prime Minister Ikeda Hayato's cabinet — becoming the first woman to serve as a cabinet minister in Japanese history. Her appointment was a landmark in Japanese women's political history, coming just 15 years after women were first granted the right to vote in Japan (1945).

Nakayama Masa: A Pioneer

Nakayama Masa was a remarkable figure in postwar Japanese politics. Born in 1891, she graduated from Tsuda College (now Tsuda University), one of Japan's early women's universities, and worked as a teacher before entering politics. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 — the first general election in which women could both vote and stand for election — and served multiple terms. Her appointment as Health Minister in 1960, at age 68, was a recognition of her political experience and expertise in social welfare policy.

Women in Japanese Politics: A Long Road

Despite Nakayama's 1960 milestone, women's representation in Japanese politics has advanced slowly. Japan consistently ranks among the lowest of developed nations in female political participation — the proportion of women in the National Diet has historically hovered between 10–15%, well below the global average for developed democracies. The 1960 appointment remains a symbolic milestone while also highlighting how far Japan still has to travel toward gender parity in political leadership.

Women's Rights in Postwar Japan

The postwar Japanese constitution (1947) explicitly guaranteed gender equality for the first time in Japanese history. Women gained the right to vote and stand for election, equal inheritance rights, and the right to choose their own spouse. These legal guarantees created the foundation for Nakayama's political career and for the gradual expansion of women's roles in public life that has continued — unevenly — in the decades since.

Fun Facts

• 1946 elections: In the first postwar election (April 1946), 39 women were elected to the House of Representatives — a remarkable 8.4% of the total, a proportion that would not be exceeded for decades.
• Current representation: As of the mid-2020s, women hold approximately 15–16% of seats in Japan's House of Representatives — still far below the proportions seen in Nordic countries, which typically exceed 40%.