Impact of 'Womenomics' in Japan: Increase in Women in the Economy

'Womenomics' in Japan

In 2014, then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged at the Davos Economic Forum that by 2020, 30% of leadership positions in Japan would be held by women.

However, progress has been slow ten years later: less than 1% of companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange are led by women, and only 14% hold managerial positions.

Initially, Abe introduced policies to increase female participation in the workforce, but after failing to meet the targets, the government lowered the goals for 2030 to 7% in government positions and 15% in the business sector.

Although there have been some advances, such as an increaincreasedse in female workforce participation and parental leave benefits, female representation in leadership positions remains lagging.

A recent example of change is the appointment of Mitsuko Tottori as president of Japan Airlines, the first woman to hold this position. This has made a significant impact on the Japanese corporate sector. Despite these advancements, social barriers persist, such as the expectation that women marry wealthy men, which continues to influence women's career choices in Japan.

While there are signs of progress, such as the re-election of Yuriko Koike as governor of Tokyo and an increase in the number of female mayors, gender equality and 'Womenomics' in Japan remain an evolving challenge.

Source: BBC