What's Shinfujin?

The New Japan Women’s Association (NJWA or Shinfujin) was founded on October 19, 1962 at the call of 32 women including Hiratsuka Raicho (pioneer of the Japanese women's movement,) Nogami Yaeko (writer) and Iwasaki Chihiro (artist of pictures for children.) Shinfujin activities are carried out in over 10,000 groups organized all over the country, in workplaces and communities including rural areas. Shinfujin has a head office that unites chapters working in all the 47 prefectures and branches in 900 municipalities.

Under the five objectives, Shinfujin works to realize all kinds of women’s demands concerning such issues as women’s rights, equality with men, better working and living conditions, measures to support child-care, education, environmental protection, peace and abolition of nuclear weapons. The five objectives are:

- Protect the lives of women and children from the danger of nuclear war
- Oppose the adverse revision of the Constitution and the resurgence of militarism
- Work together for better living conditions, extended women’s rights and children’s well-being
- Win genuine national independence, democracy and emancipation of women
- Join hands with women in the world for building lasting peace

Shinfujin is opened to all women who agree with the above five objectives, irrespective of their thought, creed or political background.

Shinfujin publishes a weekly paper “Shinfujin Shimbun” with 300,000 readers, and a monthly magazine “Josei & Undo” (“Women & The Movement”.)

Shinfujin is a member of the Japan Federation of Women’s Organizations (Fudanren) and the International Women’s Year Liaison Group (comprising 40 major Japanese women’s organizations.)

In May 2003, Shinfujin was granted Special Consultative Status by the U.N. Economic and Social Council.

Shinfujin held its 24th National Convention in Chiba on November 14　and 15, 2009. About 980 delegates from all over the country attended the Convention to share their experiences of various activities. The Convention adopted a resolution that put forward the association’s action plan for the coming two years, entitled "For a Peaceful and Just World Free of Nuclear Weapons – Time to Fulfill Women’s Demands, to Give the Constitution Full Play, and to Make Grassroots Shinfujin Stronger.” It also adopted two special resolutions; one calling for a swift closure of the U.S. Futenma Airbase and the halt to the planned construction of a new base offshore Henoko, and the other demanding better public childcare services.

NJWA Leadership (elected at the 24th National Convention)
Representative Directors: INOUE Miyo, YAMAMOTO Aya
President: TAKADA Kimiko
Vice Presidents: 　　　 KASAI Kimiyo, KATO Yoko (new), KOMATSU Hisako,
TAKAHASHI Kazue, TAMADA Megumi
Secretary General: YONEYAMA Atsuko
Deputy Secretary General: TAKASUGI Shun (new)