Record Number of Women Pass Japanese Civil Service Examination

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:30 JST, June 9, 2023

A record 683 women passed the highest-level civil service examination in the spring of fiscal 2023, up 110 from the previous year and accounting for a record 33.7% of the 2,027 successful candidates.

The National Personnel Authority announced the results of the so-called comprehensive service examination on Thursday. The current system was introduced in fiscal 2012, with examinations held annually in spring and fall.

There were a total of 14,372 applicants, down 958 from the previous year, and one in 7.1 was successful — the lowest the ratio has ever been.

For the third consecutive year, more than 30% of the successful candidates were women.

Successful candidates hailed from a record 170 universities. The University of Tokyo produced the largest number with 193 — the first time the number has fallen below 200 — followed by Kyoto University with 118, and Hokkaido University with 97.