As Japan’s female leader rises, can she cross sumo’s sacred line? – The Japan Times

Sumo Tradition and Female Leadership: An Analysis Through the Lens of Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Challenge to Traditional Norms

The appointment of Japan’s first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, presents a significant challenge to the long-standing, gender-exclusive traditions of the national sport of sumo. The central issue revolves around the dohyō (sumo ring), a space traditionally forbidden to women. This situation brings Japan’s cultural practices into direct dialogue with its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning gender equality and institutional inclusivity.

Core Conflict with SDG 5: Gender Equality

The exclusion of women from the dohyō is a direct contradiction to the principles outlined in SDG 5, which calls for the end of all forms of discrimination against women and girls. The upcoming Grand Sumo Tournament (basho) will highlight this conflict.

• Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The prohibition of women, including the nation’s head of government, from entering the dohyō represents a form of institutionalized gender-based discrimination.
• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The potential inability of the Prime Minister to present the Prime Minister’s Cup on the dohyō undermines the symbolic power of her leadership role.
• Cultural Barriers: The tradition poses a significant cultural barrier to achieving full gender equality, demonstrating how deeply ingrained social norms can impede progress on internationally agreed-upon development goals.

Implications for Broader Sustainable Development Goals

The issue extends beyond gender equality, impacting other key SDGs that focus on reducing inequality and strengthening institutions.

1. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The practice perpetuates inequality within the country by reinforcing gender-based exclusion from a significant cultural sphere. Addressing this tradition is a step toward fulfilling Target 10.2, which aims to empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of gender.
2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: This scenario tests the capacity of national institutions to be accountable, inclusive, and representative. For Japan to advance SDG 16, cultural organizations must evolve to align with modern principles of justice and non-discrimination, ensuring that institutional practices reflect the diversity of the society they serve.

Conclusion: A Moment for Institutional Reform

The question of whether Prime Minister Takaichi will be permitted to enter the dohyō to present the Prime Minister’s Cup is more than a procedural matter; it is a critical test of Japan’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The resolution of this issue will signal the nation’s willingness to reconcile cherished traditions with the imperative for gender equality and institutional inclusivity, which are foundational to sustainable progress.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article’s central theme is the tension between a significant advancement for women in politics (Japan’s first female prime minister) and a traditional cultural practice that excludes women (the prohibition of women from entering the sumo ring, or dohyō). This directly engages with the core principles of gender equality, challenging discriminatory social norms and promoting women’s participation in all aspects of public life.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.

   The article highlights a specific form of discrimination rooted in tradition. The description of the dohyō as a “sacred ground — a circle where only men may tread” points directly to a practice that discriminates against women, preventing them from entering a significant cultural and ceremonial space purely on the basis of their gender.

2. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

   This target is addressed in two ways. Firstly, the article celebrates a major achievement in women’s political leadership with the mention of Japan’s “first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.” Secondly, it immediately questions the limits of this leadership by asking if she will be allowed to perform a ceremonial duty of her office—presenting the Prime Minister’s Cup inside the ring. This raises the issue of whether her participation in public life is truly “full and effective” if she is barred from certain spaces and roles available to her male predecessors.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 5.1: The existence of discriminatory social norms and practices.

  The article implies that the rule preventing women from entering the dohyō is a key indicator of ongoing gender discrimination in a cultural context. The potential for this rule to be challenged or changed due to the prime minister’s gender serves as a measure of progress. The article’s central question, “If she can stand at the center of power, why not in the center of the ring?” frames the tradition itself as an indicator of inequality.

• Indicator for Target 5.5: The presence of women in high-level political office and their ability to fully perform their duties.

  The article provides a clear indicator of progress by stating Japan has its “first female prime minister.” However, it also implies a qualitative indicator for measuring “full and effective participation”: whether this female leader can perform all the public and ceremonial duties associated with her office without gender-based restrictions. The outcome of the “real-world test” of her presenting the Prime Minister’s Cup would be a direct indicator of whether barriers to full participation have been removed.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: japantimes.co.jp