Japanese man sues women-only university for rejecting him

Tokyo, Nov 27 (IANS/EFE) A young Japanese man is suing an all-female public university for gender discrimination after being denied admission, according to a media reports.

The man, aspiring to enroll in Fukuoka Women's University's bachelor of nutrition programme, has gone to court with the argument that gender discrimination in public institutions of higher studies violates the Japanese constitution.

"Not allowing men to take an entrance exam violates Article 14, which proclaims gender equality before the law," said the man in statements to the daily newspaper Asahi Wednesday.

All-women colleges, as well as private universities, are common in Japan.

In his report, the complainant said that only Fukuoka University offered nutrition studies near his place of residence, adding that he could not afford to go to alternative private institutions, the newspaper reported.

He is also demanding a compensation of $4,235.

The plaintiff's attorney told Kyodo news agency that female universities were seen as a solution at a time when women had fewer educational opportunities.

In Japan, around 40 percent of the country's women are college graduates; while in the rest of Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member nations, by contrast, the average is close to 60 percent.

In Japan, 62.5 percent of women work outside the home, compared to 80.6 percent of Japanese men.

But the percentage of Japanese women holding positions of responsibility is less than 12 percent, while in other western countries the proportion hovers around 30 to 40 percent.

--IANS/EFE

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