Japan to End Restrictions on Women Remarrying After Divorce
On Friday, the Japanese cabinet voted to repeal a provision that required women who were pregnant at the time of their divorce to wait 100 days before remarrying.
This rule, which has been on the books for over a century, only applies to women and is created to help find the child's biological father so that he can be held financially accountable.
The 1896 statute, which prohibited remarriage for six months until it was changed in 2016, has been criticised for being outdated and discriminatory, and there have been campaigns to have it repealed.
A provision allowing parents to "discipline children to whatever extent is necessary" will also be scrapped due to the amendment.
Local media have reported that the administration intends to introduce the amended civil code during the current parliamentary session, which concludes on December 10. If approved, the amendment would take effect in 2024.
The World Economic Forum publishes an annual Global Gender Gap report, which includes measures of political empowerment with those of health, education, and economic involvement. Japan has routinely ranked towards the bottom of these reports.