The Japanese government announced on Monday a draft policy package for promoting gender equality. It includes a target of having at least 30% female executives at top companies by 2030.

The draft aims to see at least one female board member at Japan's top listed companies by around 2025. These are the companies listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The government is set to urge these companies, through the TSE, to introduce such rules within 2023.

The draft calls for ensuring that male employees are able to take paternal leave. It also calls for creating a system to maintain the income of a family while working shorter hours until their child turns two years old.

Strengthening measures to protect women from sexual assault and other forms of violence from their partners and others is included in the draft, as well as preventing workplace harassment.

The government will discuss the draft with the ruling parties before finalizing the contents within this month.

Chairman Tokura Masakazu of the Japan Business Federation said the government has set practical targets, and the key is to improve the workplace environment.

Tokura added that it's important to make it easier for women, as well as men, to follow appropriate steps of promotion and be given larger responsibility accordingly.