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Paper short abstract

Drawing on parliamentary committee membership and official post allocation records, this study investigates how engagement in the legislative representation of policy areas associated with women shapes the career trajectories of Japanese legislators within the government.

Paper long abstract

This study investigates how sustained engagement in feminine policy areas intersects with political career trajectories of legislators in Japan. On the one hand, policy domains associated with women and feminine qualities, such as child- and elderly care, women’s safety, and gender equality, are frequently embedded in institutional hierarchies that assign them lower prestige, fewer resources, and limited access to valuable networks and posts. Moreover, certain policies related to women challenge entrenched gender norms, exposing their proponents to potential backlash from conservative voters and party gatekeepers. Female legislators, as the key representatives of women’s interests, may be disproportionately disadvantaged in this respect. On the other hand, Japan’s demographic decline, labour shortages, and changing family structures have increased the relevance of feminine policy areas. Some studies further suggest that gender role-congruent behaviour, aligning with normative expectations about appropriate political roles for women, may be seen favourably by voters, enhancing perceived expertise of female politicians and opening inroads for them in politics.

Engaging with these competing perspectives, this study enquires whether ruling parties’ lawmakers who specialise in feminine policy areas experience different patterns of career advancement than those who do not, and whether female politicians face distinct incentives or constraints. To explore these questions systematically, the study draws on the Diet committee membership data between the 2012 and 2026 elections to evaluate policy specialisation of legislators. These data are combined with official records on cabinet portfolio assignments to trace politicians’ career development over time, based on their gender and policy focus. By examining legislators’ career outcomes, this study explicates how gendered political institutions and norms shape the incentives for representing issues related to women in Japan, offering additional insights into the persistent gap between social demands and slow political reform.