A government panel on women's issues Wednesday called on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to specifically ban violence against women and to say in an ordinance that domestic violence infringes on human rights.
The metro government panel submitted the report to Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara that day and called for the provision to be added to a planned ordinance targeting gender equality in the next fiscal year.
According to the panel, no law or ordinance specifically stipulates a ban on violence or sexual harassment against women. The panel's proposed provision does not impose penalties.
The panel's report says domestic violence has become a serious social issue and "restrains women's activity and deprives them of confidence, impeding gender equality in society."
It said police have a hard time intervening in domestic violence and the current legal framework cannot sufficiently cope with the problem.
To include a clause spelling out wife beating as an infringement on human rights would bring about significant public awareness.
In June, the Diet enacted a gender equality law, but it is up to each local government to implement its bylaws.
The panel's report says it expects the metropolitan government to take initiative in introducing such a provision, which would largely influence other prefectural and municipal governments.