抄録
This study comparatively analyzes the demographic attributes of board members in Japanese prefectural boards of education and public safety commissions, focusing on gender representation and occupational backgrounds. While prior research has predominantly examined these members’ policy influence, critical gaps remain in understanding their descriptive characteristics. Using national statistics and disclosed administrative documents, this study systematically compares the two entities, which share institutional mandates for political neutrality but differ in membership structures. Key findings reveal that boards of education exhibit significantly higher female descriptive representation, attributable to two structural factors: （ 1 ）larger membership sizes per prefecture and（ 2 ）national policies to promote gender balance in boards of education. By contrast, occupational data indicate a relative skew toward professional and technical backgrounds in boards of education compared to public safety commissions. Meanwhile, individuals in managerial positions, such as bank presidents, are more prominently represented in public safety commissions. These findings suggest that, despite skepticism about the representative function of boards of education, the system plays a meaningful role in enhancing women’s descriptive representation. Furthermore, it is implied that the expertise of board members in education could be evaluated based on the type of representative activities they are expected to perform during the policy-making process. Keywords: board of education, public safety commission, political representation, gender, occupational background.
