Japan's first woman Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has raised her voice in support of other women parliamentarians' call for more women's toilets in the Parliament complex.
Presently, there are just two cubicles near the plenary chamber to serve 73 women legislators. Meanwhile, the entire building has just nine women's toilets with 22 cubicles.
Constitutional Democratic Party member Yasuko Komiyama in a Facebook post, said that the issue troubles not only the female lawmakers but also other women staff and women journalists in the premises.
Notably, the parliament building was constructed in 1936, almost a decade before women were given the right to vote in Japan.
A record 73 women entered the 465-seat Lower House in October 2024 in a patriarchal country, where workplaces, including Parliament, are dominated by men.
Japan ranks 118 out of 148 countries, according to World Economic Forum’s latest Global Gender Gap Index.
"In Japan, the dearth of women's restrooms extends beyond the legislative chamber. Long lines in front of women's public restrooms are a common sight nationwide," the BBC reported.