Does increased local female representation result in expanded childcare provisions? Implications from Japan

Does increased female representation in local politics and administration translate into increased childcare provisions? This question is important for examining subnational variations in welfare regimes and the degree of defamilization. Previous studies have shown that female representatives are interested in ‘women’s issues’ and influence the introduction and accessibility of policies that benefit women. However, there are significant research gaps. First, the analytical units are biased towards the national level. Second, few studies have simultaneously examined political and administrative representation. Third, the impact of sexism on gender representation remains overlooked. To address these gaps, this study focused on Japan, where female representation has increased in recent years and where society is moving away from sexist values. Specifically, this study investigated the effects of local female representation in politics and administration, particularly in municipalities where there is an increased demand for childcare services. A unique municipality-level dataset was created and a multilevel analysis was conducted. Surprisingly, the results did not provide significant evidence that increased local female representation correlates with increased local childcare provisions. While caution is warranted given that the sexism variable is prefecture-based, the results underscore the impact of sexism and female representation on the increase in childcare supply.