Japan’s work culture is characterized by long working hours, compulsory overtime, evening socializing with colleagues, and transfers to offices farther from home. The disparity in wages and gender representation in the workforce is due to institutions as well as societal behaviors. This inspired Kathy Matsui, vice chair of Goldman Sachs Japan, to popularize the concept of “womenomics,” which aims to remove the barriers to women’s participation in the economy, as part of a strategy to boost Japan’s economy. option. And a growing number of women also leave their jobs to care for elderly relatives, in part due to a lack of long-term care facilities. Published By: The Society for Japanese Studies, Read Online (Free) relies on page scans, which are not currently available to screen readers. THE ASAHI SHIMBUN. This is way out of synch with Japan’s status as an advanced country with GDP per capita in the world’s top 30 countries. facilitate communication and Japan ranks 121st in gender equality among 153 countries. women’s empowerment What a Biden-Harris Victory Could Mean for Tech Policy. dialogue about Japan and with Japan. It is crucial that all segments of Japanese society and politics work harder to ensure its success. A change in Otsu will act to further strengthen the Japanese voices that are pushing for gender equality nationwide. New thinking on corporate risk and resilience in the global economy. All Rights Reserved. It is not a professional society or membership organization; Marsh & McLennan Companies. Read your article online and download the PDF from your email or your account. Kashima Takashi, chair of the Japan Association for the Advancement of Working Women, stresses that Japanese work culture still revolves around fulltime male employees working long hours. Its founders sought to Want to receive the BRINK daily newsletter? When the news broke in early August that Tokyo Medical University had been altering the entrance examination scores of female candidates, even those who have become hardened to the depths of gender inequality in Japan were shocked. From the outset, the The issue of Japan’s gender inequality has come into sharp focus in recent times as Japan’s working-age population has been declining since 1998. The table below lists domestic- and employment-related data for Japan and several leading European countries. nonregular workers In the most recent Global Gender Gap Report announced by the World Economic Forum on December 17, 2019, Japan ranked 121st out of 153 countries. translations of articles of unusual interest This type of inequality is not unique to Japan, but it does appear to be particularly pronounced in comparison to other countries. Compared to France and Finland, which have high levels of labor equality, Japan’s ratio of nonregular employees is disproportionately higher for women at 33.4%. The percentage of women lawmakers, senior officials, and managers declined a point to 9% over the last decade, ranking Japan near the bottom. Pregnant and post-pregnant women can suffer both mental and physical abuse from colleagues and managers. Many women thus leave the workforce when they start a family. And they are also underrepresented in the political arena, accounting for only 10% of the members of the lower house of the Diet (parliament). Many point to the country’s failure to enact initiatives addressing gender inequality that are in line with general trends worldwide. Author: Naomi Koshi is Mayor of Otsu, Japan, and a member of the 2015 intake of World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders Published annually since 2006, the report compares levels of gender-based disparity around the globe using the four indicators of economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. It ranks only 110th out of 149 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report. and review articles of books published in There are also some private initiatives promoting women’s participation in the economy, notably as entrepreneurs. This is of crucial importance to an economy whose poor demography could cause the country’s GDP to drop by more than 25% over the next 40 years, according to the IMF. The situation in the political realm is equally dire and Kashima suggests setting gender quotas for proportional representation seats to increase the number of women in parliament. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2015 marks the tenth year the organization has released its influential index, with the anniversary edition comparing how countries fared in gender equality over the last decade. Government initiatives include: targets for participation and advancement of women in the workforce; increasing day care and after-school care; recruiting and promoting women in government; and reviewing the tax and social security system. As it turns out, both men and women acutely feel the differences in how the genders are treated. But as more women have entered the workforce, waiting lists remain very long. Women in Technology Japan has “the vision to bring more women into the technology field [and] grow next generation technology leaders.” Startup Lady Japan is promoting entrepreneurship “as a solution to break outside of the constraints of traditional corporate culture and give women the choice, lifestyle and financial independence they need.”. Will India Ever Fulfill Its Economic Potential? Check out using a credit card or bank account with. The views expressed on BRINK are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily the views of Marsh & McLennan or any of its businesses. The Journal of Japanese Studies Society also occasionally organizes symposia and other activities focused There are also some private initiatives promoting women’s participation in the economy, notably as entrepreneurs. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions only in-depth research articles by scholars from fielded between Mr. Abe’s ruling coalition and the opposition — less than 15% of the candidates for Mr. Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party were women, compared to 50% of the opposition’s. better understanding of Japan and its people and institution, Login via your Japan, at 101st, lags far behind fellow G7 countries, with Germany (11th) leading followed by France (15th), Britain (18th), the United States (28th), Canada (30th), and Italy (41st). However, scratching below the surface reveals that Japan’s womenomics initiative is still very much a work in progress. By Emma Dalton. It is crucial that all segments of Japanese society and politics work harder to ensure the success of womenomics. While Prime Minister Abe Shinzō has promoted the slogan of creating a society where women can shine, Japan continues to struggle to bridge its gender gap. and is considered an The Japanese Trade Union Confederation released a survey in 2015 stating that 20.9% of women in Japan have experienced such harassment. multidisciplinary forum for communicating new The one bright spot in the category has been women in ministerial positions, which has climbed nine percentage points to 22% since 2006. “I have held high the flag of women’s participation and advancement in society and positioned it in the very center of my growth strategy,” said Mr. Abe. "Womenomics," an initiative in Japan, aims to remove the barriers to women's participation in the economy. was established in 1974 as a In Japan, women devote nearly four hours a day to housework and child care compared to less than one hour for men. In 2013, when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe launched his “Abenomics” program to revitalize the Japanese economy. A policy change on the local level can thus affect the country as a whole. Today the Journal continues to How Can Men Be Better Allies for Women at Work? This is way out of synch with Japan’s status as an advanced country with, The issue of Japan’s gender inequality has come into sharp focus in recent times as Japan’s working-age population has been declining since 1998. (including Japan) but also reviews of current