A government report says Japan lags behind in gender equality and has to do more to create a society where both men and women can balance work and home.
The annual report, issued on Tuesday, says Japan ranked 42nd among 75 nations in a UN survey on women's roles in economic and political activities.
The report also says a government survey has found that only 10 percent of managerial posts in Japan are filled by women --- compared to 58 percent in the Philippines and 43 percent in the United States.
Among working couples, Japanese men are said to handle 13 percent of domestic chores and childcare, compared to 40 percent in Norway and 39 percent in Australia.
The government report says Japan is up to international standards when it comes to having a law in place to promote gender equality.
But it says women in the country still face hurdles in real life, and that more must be done to create a social environment that allows men, not to mention women, to balance work and home.