"Society Demands Women to Be Cute"… Tokyo University Faces 8:2 Gender Ratio Collapse

"Abnormal Sex Ratio, a Byproduct of Gender Inequality in Japanese Society"
Growing Voices of Self-Reflection and Criticism... Efforts to Attract Female Students

The gender imbalance at Japan's top university, the University of Tokyo, has been revealed to be extremely severe, with a male-to-female ratio of 8:2.

According to the Japanese media outlet ABEMA Times, among the 3,083 undergraduate admissions at the University of Tokyo in 2020, only 589 were women, accounting for just 19.1%. In 2003, the University of Tokyo established the "Basic Plan for Joint Participation of Men and Women" to address the gender imbalance issue. Under this policy, the goal was set to increase the proportion of female undergraduates to 30% by 2020, but this ultimately failed.

This gender imbalance at the University of Tokyo is analyzed as a reflection of gender inequality in Japanese society. First, the female university enrollment rate in Japan has consistently been lower compared to males.

Experts analyze that traditional gender roles still remain, such as the notion that "men go to good universities, get jobs, and support their families," while "women protect the home and support their husbands."

Chizuko Ueno, a sociologist and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, explained, "Girls are expected to be cute from a young age," adding, "While male students take pride in being University of Tokyo students, female students hesitate. This is because male value aligns with high academic achievement, whereas there is a gap between female value and high academic achievement."

The New York Times (NYT) in the United States pointed out that "the distorted gender ratio at the University of Tokyo is a byproduct of deeply rooted gender inequality in Japanese society."

Meanwhile, to address the gender imbalance, University of Tokyo students have formed an organization called the ‘YourChoiceProject’ and are conducting recruitment activities targeting female high school students in rural areas.

A perception survey conducted among high school students nationwide through this project also revealed gender-discriminatory environments for rural female students. In items such as "Do guardians demand a university close to home?" or "Do you prioritize attending a university near home?" it was found that parents tend to want their daughters to remain in their hometowns.

To attract freshmen from rural areas, the University of Tokyo offers scholarships to some admitted students for four years and provides housing near campus for female students who have moved from distant regions. Rent subsidies of 30,000 yen (about 300 USD) per month are provided for up to two years.

Professor Norio Matsuki of the University of Tokyo stated, "I understand that the lack of confidence among rural female students also leads to giving up on entering the University of Tokyo," adding, "There should be no barriers to growth opportunities based on gender. I hope they recognize their abilities and strive further."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.