Gender-equal Society and Affirmative Action

1999年制定的《性别平等社会基本法》将“积极行动”引入日本法律。虽然在其他国家已经采取了各种形式的平权行动来消除过去歧视造成的危害，但在日本，我们一直不愿高度尊重这些行动。平权行动被认为与个人自由或法律平等保护等基本宪法原则相冲突。既然我们已经接受了“积极行动”，我们必须在日本宪法中清楚地说明它们的含义。我们的联合调查计划提出一个工作建议，使我们能够实现性别平等的社会。在第一年，我们进行了关于平权行动的基础研究，基于性别理论的法理学建设，比较视角的构建，对性别平等社会的实际情况的描述，以及对日本几项相关法规的分析。我们建立了自己的方法，适用于这次联合调查。在第二年，我们对其他国家的平权行动(特别是美国和法国的平权行动)进行了调查；对平权行动的法律结构进行了批评；肯定行动与功绩制度之间的理论联系。首先，它阐明了平权行动的世界趋势及其对日本的重大影响(筑村美代子报告)。其次，构建了实施平权行动的宪政战略(有川忠正报告和山本哈姆报告)。最后，设计了日本平权行动的具体和实际框架(Akio中林报告)。

The Basic Law for a Gender-equal Society, which was established in 1999, introduces "positive actions" into Japanese law. While in other countries various forms of affirmative actions have been taken to eliminate the harms created by past discriminations, we, in Japan, have been reluctant to hold those actions in high esteem. Affirmative actions were considered to be in collision with the fundamental constitutional principles such as individual freedom or equal protection of law. Now that we have accepted "positive actions", we must present clearly their implications in the Japanese Constitution. Our joint investigation is planned to come up with a working proposal which enables us to achieve a Gender-equal Society.In the first year, we engaged a basic research on affirmative actions, a construction of jurisprudence based on gender theories, a construction of comparative perspectives, description of what a Gender-equal society is actualy like and an analysis of several relating ordinances in Japan. We established our own method aplicable to this joint investigation. And we finally, elaborated our ultimate agenda.In the second year, we engaged a survey of other countries' affirmative actions (especially those in the United States and in France) ; a critique on legal structure of affirmative actions ; a theoretical nexus between affirmative actions and merit system.Based upon these summaries, this paper consists of the following sections. First, it illuminates the world trends in affirmative actions and their substantial impact on Japan (report by Miyoko Tsujimura). Secondly, it constructs a constitutional strategy of bringing affirmative actions in effect (report by Tsunemasa Arikawa and report by Hajime Yamamoto) Lastly, it designs a concrete and practical framework for affirmative actions in Japan (report by Akio Nakabayashi).