This article examines the history of gender equality in Japan, the current status of gender equality in the country, the government's efforts to improve gender equality, the challenges that remain, and the impact of gender inequality on Japanese society. Despite some advances, women still earn 30% less than men for similar work and are far less likely to hold senior positions within companies or organizations. The Japanese government has taken steps to improve gender equality but there are still numerous challenges that remain such as traditional attitudes towards gender roles and an overall lack of awareness amongst employers regarding how best they can promote greater diversity within their workforce. According to World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020, Japan ranked 121st out of 192 countries surveyed indicating that much work is still needed before true parity between men & women is achieved.