日本の地方議会に女性議員がなぜ少ないのか

―山形県内の地方議会についての一考察―

抄録

  The percentage of women representatives m local assemblies in Japan is 10.9% at the end of 2009. Moreover, in Yamagata Prefecture, the percentage is 6.2%, the ninth lowest among all prefectures. In this article, effective strategies to increase women representatives are presented based on the analyses of the interviews at the major political party local branches and the surveys of women members.
  The model of the recruitment process of Pippa Norris is utilized as an analytical framework. Based on the analyses of interviews and surveys, the following strategies are effective to increase women representatives in local assembly.
  Changing the people's attitudes toward women and politics, especially women themselves are to be liberated from traditional thinking of politics being men's responsibilities./Women are to aggressively participate in community activities and to play central roles in solving community problems./Women are to recognize politics as tools for improving daily lives and to get involved in politics.
  The Japanese major political parties are indifferent to increasing women candidates in local assembly elections. And women members of the local assemblies do not expect the parties to promote women's representation. Women representatives are to gradually increase but not to increase rapidly under such circumstances.