Sunday’s Upper House election saw a record 35 seats go to women, with veteran lawmakers and new contenders of all stripes voted in.
In a race overshadowed by the murder of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — who during his tenure pushed the slogan “a society where every woman can shine" — a record 181 women ran for the Upper House, where over half of the 245 seats were up for grabs.
The number of seats won by female candidates — 21 from electoral districts and 14 through proportional representation — is the largest in the upper chamber’s history, up from 28 in the previous two elections, held in 2016 and 2019.