Japan has lowest percentage of women studying science, OECD report finds

The organization’s latest annual report shows that in 2019, Japan had the lowest percentage of women studying science among the 36 member states of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development noted a significant gender gap in Japan in known fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and said the country should inspire women to follow these studies.

In STEM in Japan, women in science, math and statistics accounted for 27% of tertiary education, well below the OECD average of 52%, according to Education at a Glance report 2021.

A report released in mid-September looked at the proportion of women in higher education in 2019, and Japan declared its tax rate in 2018, which ended in March 2019.

Most of them are registered in Slovakia with 65%, followed by Poland with 63%. The Czech Republic and Lithuania accounted for 60%.

Japan was only widely beaten by the lowest Belgium, at 40 percent.

In technology, manufacturing and construction in Japan, the proportion of women was only 16%, compared to the OECD average of 26%. The highest percentage was 39% in Iceland, 36% in Poland and 33% in Greece.

Japan was the lowest of the 37 comparable countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in terms of the amount of national wealth devoted to educational institutions in 2018.

Public expenditure on primary and lower secondary education amounted to 2.8% of GDP in Japan and Ireland, compared to an OECD average of 4.1%.

Norway pledged more, at 6.4%. Costa Rica and Iceland remained close, spending 6.2% and 5.5% respectively. France, among others, spent 4.5%, the United States 4.1% and the United Kingdom 3.9%.

Between 2012 and 2018, public expenditure and total expenditure on primary and secondary education in all OECD countries except Chile, Hungary and Iceland increased at a lower average rate to GDP.