Japanese universities expanding female quotas in science
Universities in Japan are increasingly introducing admission quotas for female applicants at science and engineering faculties in order to raise the number of women in science.
The initiative, under which a certain number of admission slots are set aside exclusively for female applicants, is aimed at correcting a persistent gender imbalance in science-related fields, but it also raises concerns over discrimination against male students.
According to the education ministry, female quotas were adopted at 30 national and public universities in their science and engineering faculties this spring — more than double the 14 universities that had such system in the previous year.
One of the universities that is riding on the wave of the trend is Institute of Science Tokyo, which was launched last October through a merger of Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
Before the merger, the former Tokyo Institute of Technology introduced female quotas in the 2024 academic year with a total of 58 slots, which were offered apart from the general admission slots. This spring, female quotas in science and engineering faculties at the merged school were raised to 149.
Shimane University introduced a female quota of six for the Faculty of Materials for Energy in the 2023 academic year, and another 20 for the Interdisciplinary Faculty of Science and Engineering in the 2025 academic year.
'There's still a widespread misconception that engineering faculties are dirty, dangerous, and not a place for women,' lamented Tsuyoshi Mihara, dean of the Faculty of Materials for Energy.
Mihara has visited high schools in Shimane Prefecture and elsewhere to introduce his university to female students. 'By establishing female quotas, we can send a strong message that these faculties are welcoming to women,' he said.
Increasing the number of female students has a positive impact on all science and engineering faculties, Mihara said. 'Women who enter engineering faculties with strong determination tend to be proactive in classes and show leadership.'
He also noted that female students' pragmatic approach in selecting future careers, considering factors like marriage and child-rearing, is inspiring for male students.
Restrooms for women have been made spacious and bright at Shimane University's Faculty of Materials for Energy. |
Shimane University / via Chugoku Shimbun
Shimane University is also improving facilities to be more appealing to female students. A new building for the Faculty of Materials for Energy, completed in February, features larger restrooms and stylish furniture. Bright colors have been chosen for walls and chairs in classrooms.
Meanwhile, Hiroshima University will introduce female quotas in the 2026 academic year at three of its faculties — the School of Science, the School of Engineering, and the School of Informatics and Data Science — with a total of 37 slots set aside for female applicants.
The university has been working for nearly 20 years to increase the number of women in science-related departments by holding science workshops for female high school students or offering opportunities for them to interview women in science. However, these measures have done little to increase the number of female applicants.
Tsutomu Mizuta, dean of the School of Science who served as head of the admission office until the end of March, said holding promotional events alone was not enough to increase the number of female applicants amid a strong impression that it's unusual for women to go into engineering.
'It may seem drastic, but a female quota system is necessary to break through that bias,' Mizuta said.
In response to opinions that adopting female quotas would constitute discrimination against male students, Mizuta stressed that it is important to dispel misunderstandings that female students are getting preferential treatment because of their gender.
'It's not a system that gives women a leg up unfairly — we still strictly assess their academic standards,' he said. 'We want to make that point clear.'
Hiroshima University will introduce female quotas in the 2026 academic year at three of its faculties. |
Chugoku Shimbun
According to a 2024 survey by Kawaijuku, a major prep school for university entrance exams, more than half of the surveyed high school students supported the female quota system, but the rate of support declined from the previous year, suggesting a persistent sense of inequality regarding the system.
The survey was conducted online among first- and second-year high school students in November and December and received valid responses from 3,762 students.
Asked how they felt about introducing female quotas in science-related faculties where the ratio of female students is low, 56% supported the idea, while 44% were opposed. The support rate dropped by 8.7 percentage points from the previous survey conducted in January 2023.
In the free-response section, there were around 500 comments opposing the initiative, compared with only about 100 comments supporting it.
Reasons for opposition included 'Equal opportunities should be given in entrance exams regardless of gender' and 'This could end up reinforcing gender discrimination.' Supportive comments included 'More women in science will bring diverse perspectives' and 'It will broaden opportunities for women.'
An official at Kawaijuku said universities need to go beyond simply establishing female quotas in admissions. 'They must promote the benefits of increasing the number of women more clearly, including those during and after their university education.'
This section features topics and issues covered by the Chugoku Shimbun, the largest newspaper in the Chugoku region. The original article was published April 18.
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