본 논문의 목적은 일본이 서구 민주주의 국가들 과 비슷한 수준의 경제 발전과 민주화를 이루고 여 성운동이 활발했음에도 불구하고 고용평등정책에 있어 법제화하는데 오랜 시간이 걸렸으며 고용평등 에 기여하기에는 부족한 내용이 된 이유는 무엇인 지 고용평등정책과정을 여성대표성, 가치∙신념, 제도적 구조를 중심으로 분석하여 밝히려는 것이 다. 분석결과 첫째 일본의 여성단체들이 유엔의 세 계여성회의를 계기로 여성차별철폐협약, 세계행동 계획, 남녀평등에 관한 지수 등 국제기준을 이용하 며 전국적으로 운동을 조직하고, 국제기준의 정책 화를 목표로 정책과정에 참여하고 있으나 제도적 구조의 폐쇄성과 제약으로 인해 여성의 대표성은 정책의제설정단계와 평가단계에 제한되어 정책의 실효성이 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 둘째 정책결정단 계에서 여성의 명목 대표성이 낮지 않음에도 행위 자간의 고용평등정책에 관한 가치∙신념의 공유가 어려워 정책 산출에 시간이 많이 걸리고 여성의 남 녀평등과 지위향상에 대한 요구는 제대로 반영되지 않아 여성의 실질 대표성은 제한적이었다는 것이 밝혀졌다. 셋째 여성의 이익과 요구를 정책에 제대 로 반영하기 위해서는 특히 정책결정단계와 집행단 계에의 여성의 참여가 중요한데, 여성의 명목 대표 성이 실질 대표성을 반드시 담보하는 것은 아니라 는 것도 제시되었다. 남녀평등과 여성의 지위향상 에 대한 여성의 요구가 효과적으로 정책에 반영되 기 위해서는 여성의 이익과 요구를 대표하는 행위 자가 정책과정에 참여할 수 있도록, 행위자 간에 가 치∙신념의 공유가 가능하도록 제도배열이 이루어 져야 한다는 것이 시사되었다.

The purpose of this essay is to analyze Japanese equal employment policy process focusing on women’s representation, policy actors’ beliefs, institutional structure and explain why Japanese Equal Employment Opportunity Law is weak, nonthless Japan is democratic post-industrial state and there are strong and evident women’s activities for women’s rights and equal treatment. The examinations find that first closed institutional structure constrained the accesses of major women’s groups to the process of policy decision making and implement, women’s needs for elimination discrimination against women in employment were not represented. Second, even though women’s descriptive representation was not low, unshared policy actors’ beliefs about the goal and instruments of equal employment policy made policy process was incremental and women’s substantive representation was not able to be high. Third, for incorporation of women’s needs and interests into the policy process, especially women’s participation in decision making and implement of policy should be taken, but the direct placement of women did not guarantee the women’s substantive representation. In conclusion, this essay asserts that women’s needs and interests are to represent into policy process, institutional arrangement has to be done to feminist activists can participate in policy process and to actors can share beliefs on policy.

The purpose of this essay is to analyze Japanese equal employment policy process focusing on women’s representation, policy actors’ beliefs, institutional structure and explain why Japanese Equal Employment Opportunity Law is weak, nonthless Japan is democratic post-industrial state and there are strong and evident women’s activities for women’s rights and equal treatment. The examinations find that first closed institutional structure constrained the accesses of major women’s groups to the process of policy decision making and implement, women’s needs for elimination discrimination against women in employment were not represented. Second, even though women’s descriptive representation was not low, unshared policy actors’ beliefs about the goal and instruments of equal employment policy made policy process was incremental and women’s substantive representation was not able to be high. Third, for incorporation of women’s needs and interests into the policy process, especially women’s participation in decision making and implement of policy should be taken, but the direct placement of women did not guarantee the women’s substantive representation. In conclusion, this essay asserts that women’s needs and interests are to represent into policy process, institutional arrangement has to be done to feminist activists can participate in policy process and to actors can share beliefs on policy.

The Equal Employment Policy, Women’s Representation, Beliefs, Institutional Structure