Who are we? What are our aims?

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.) About 140,000 members are organized in some 8,000 groups in workplaces and communities all over the country. Shinfujin has a head office that unites chapters working in all the 47 prefectures and branches in 800 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 around 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 220,000 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 United Nations Economic and Social Council. Shinfujin held its 27th National Convention in Tokyo on November 11th and 12th, 2015. About 1,000 delegates, Central Committee members and observers from all over the country gathered 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 "Block the Attempt to Make Japan a War-Waging Nation! Let the Constitution and Democracy Flourish! Turn Women's Diverse Wishes into Actions and Build a Stronger Shinfuji". The action program gives a special emphasis on Citizens' united actions to stop the Abe government's outrage to revise the Constitution targeted at destroying Article 9, and on recruiting young members and fostering new leaders so that the association's history and movements are handed over to next generations. It also adopted two special resolutions; one that calls for solidarity with Okinawa, and the other to demand the resignation of Abe government.

NJWA Leadership (elected at the 27th National Convention)President: KASAI Kimiyo Vice Presidents: TAKAHASHI Kazue, JINDE Izumi, YONEYAMA Atsuko, NISHIKAWA Kyoko (new)Secretary General: TAKASUGI ShunDeputy Secretary General: HASEGAWA Amari