42% of Japan companies have actively promoted women to key posts: survey

At least some companies are getting with the times and actively looking to promote women to key posts in the work force.

More such diversity is needed in Japan.

...less than 50% of companies that responded:

41 percent of respondents said they are not actively offering leadership posts to female employees

Meaningless survey really. Even with the number of survey's sent out, there is no explanation on the size nor type of businesses or corporations that received them.

It matters a hell of a lot as well, because if they sent the survey's to the small to middle sized corporations vs large companies, the responses will vary accordingly as well.

These business have to begrudgingly promote women as the pool of available workers is so limited. So it's a positive thing, an infection if you will, that hopefully will throw aside a culture of male dominance. Women are cool, capable HUMANS. Not possessions or underlings. Small steps Japan, it will be ok. Don't panic.

I think the major barrier to women's advancement is the long hours men have to work. On average they are the longest in the OECD.

I bet the companies that do have women in management roles are also the ones with the least overtime and the fewest transfers around the country. If huge sacrifices to work-life balance are the cost, many women are not going to even want promotion. Women tend to do more housework and child-rearing even in the most equal countries, like those in Scandanavia. Being out of the home 12 hours a day or more is not a choice they have.

Rt hit the nail on the head. Well written.

It seems to me kyodo is promoting this gender inequality right now. Just another topic to get Japanese people fighting with eachother. It's not working though because of exactly what RT said. And Japanese people are not dumb. It's really activist journalism. Not really news. A few days ago they released an article in the politics section.

People who deny the systematic gender discrimination against women in Japan, have forgotten how women applicants to medical universities were rejected even though their results were better than the men's.

Women applicants to jobs are rejected because 'they'll only get pregnant and leave', even when the (often single) woman is just as or more qualified than the man.

People who deny gender discrimination are a large part of the problem, and their ignorance - and making up 'facts' - just makes them sound as sexist as the system they support.

Companies, educational establishments, and the government, have been actively promoting men to key posts regardless of their actual abilities, for decades and more, and actively rejecting and holding back women. *That is the real problem, not this.

Personally I think (noticed) that many companies due to covid-19 and working from home are realising that many of their older employees (read old men) have for years not kept up and lack even the most basic computer skills.

These old men still rely on Fax, phone and paper can barely use email, they had been able to hide this fact by passing on any computer work to what are often younger women in the office many of whom are Haken ( contract hires from outsourcing companies).

My wife's, daughter's and others companies have many such old men but now with working from home the top management have realised exactly what has been going on.

In their companies these men were given a short period to either start using the proper systems and do things themselves or lose their jobs.

Many actually refused, using the old " the old way has worked just fine why should we change" and have either been fired or quit.

In the places I am familiar with the women that were actually doing the work often referred to as OL or secretarial work, including the Haken women have suddenly found themselves full time hires in lower management position.

In some cases not actually wanting the positions due to the responsibility but most have welcomed the sizable increase in salary.

In at least 2 of the companies I am familiar with they even promoted several women to replace the old "we don't want to change" men, despite the official policy that management must have university education which none of these women have, seems that skill and knowledge has become more important than a piece of paper issued decades ago.

Japan should really use this virus situation to REALLY think about a TOTAL re-vamp of work & life & BALANCE!! I mean the current imbalance IS slowly just killing the country off!

Japan needs a restoration in these areas & then hiring, promotion etc should be based on merit. Due note for those ready to attack on this point that merit for the most part is NOT a factor in hiring or promotion in Japan(with a few exceptions of late)

I guess 43% is roughly almost the same as 100%. After all, Abe won around 43% of the last vote and around, kind of 100%, love his legacy of, cough, er, cough...

The vast majority of Japanese women who make it to a senior management post in a Japanese company have basically had to sacrifice any hope of marriage and children. Maybe not such a big deal when younger, but as they get older many really regret it.

Many companies now are downsizing their offices realising they can save on rent, transportation allowance, etc...

But they are also realising that many of their workers do not have the computer skills to work from home.

About 3 years ago the Ministry of economy trade and industry found that 70% of female office staff had the needed computers skills for today's business world but less than 40% of men did.

Now the shocking thing was that even the older women had the skills at 50% but the older men was below 20% and even the younger men barely touched the 50% mark.

I all the places my wife, daughter, son and myself have worked the men just passed on any work that need anything more than email to one of the OLs.

Working from home makes that not possible and exposing these men.

OK, but why almost never a nice and comfortable environment and promoting for men?

No need to answer, just die happily in red numbers and ruined economies.

Wonder this survey based on working women in super, shopping mall, food factories line leaders???

unfortunately I don’t find such story when visited many Japanese companies.

All companies should be actively promoting the most qualified.

How are "actively" and "key" defined in this context?

Exactly. What is a "key post" anyways? Furthermore, why can't women simply be promoted without it being reported, as if its some kind of chess game.

As puppets or real leaders???.

If only 49.5% responded, I don't see the value in such sweeping generalizations being made, and conclusions being drawn, about 'Japanese companies'.