Only 8 per cent of females in Japan’s managerial posts
TOKYO: About 80 per cent of major companies in Japan have increased the proportion of female employees in managerial posts - meaning section chief or higher - since the Law on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace was enforced in April 2016, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey.
The results reflect the positive effects of companies’ programme for female workers, such as measures for work-life balance and training seminars.
Females accounted for 8.3 per cent of workers in managerial positions in April 2017, according to the survey. However, this is far below the government’s goal of 30 per cent by 2020.
The Yomiuri Shimbun sent out a questionnaire to 121 leading companies in the automotive, electrical machinery, food, trade and other industries in April, with 116 of them responding. The survey asked about the number of female workers in managerial and other positions in April 2015, 2016 and 2017, with some companies providing their latest available figures, such as the end of March or the end of December.
According to the survey
About 80 per cent of major companies in Japan have increased the proportion of female employees in managerial posts since the Law on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace was enforced in April 2016, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey.
results, females accounted for 6.9 per cent of workers in managerial posts in April 2015 and 7.5 per cent in the same month in 2016. The figure increased to 8.3 per cent in 2017.
The number of companies in which the percentage increased the year after the law took effect stood at 96, or 82.8 per cent.
When asked what measures were taken to promote women’s active participation and advancement, with multiple answers allowed, 86.2 per cent said they introduced or improved work-life balance programme, while 64.7 per cent said they organised educational and training programme for female workers.
These were the top two responses.
The percentage of female executives increased from 4.3 per cent in April 2015 to 5.0 per cent in 2016, and to 5.5 per cent in April this year.
On the other hand, the proportion of regular workers has not increased, hovering around the 24 per cent range over the three years.
The law obliges companies with 301 employees or more, and also state and local governments, to compile and publicise action plans for women’s active participation and advancement.
The entities are required to set numerical targets on employment and appointments in the action plans.
The kinds of targets to be set up are left to each entity’s discretion. The law does not carry punitive provisions for those that fail to come up with action plans or fail to meet numerical targets. Companies with 300 employees or less are obliged to make efforts to meet the law’s requirements.