How to promote more female leaders in Japan
Inequality
between men and women and the underutilization of women's labour remain major
problems in Japanese society. In terms of the percentage of women in managerial
roles, Japan came in at number 139 out of 156 nations. Women make up only 9.9%
of legislators and 6.6% of corporate department heads, according to a 2020
government report from Japan.
The
Japanese workforce would grow by 5.8 million workers and the GDP would increase
by 10% if the gender gap were to be closed. However, despite the government's
efforts, progress on gender equality in the workforce has been sluggish.
The
"Womenomics" strategy of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
made several attempts to empower women's economic progress. The "Act on
Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace,"
which went into effect in 2016, is one significant initiative to promote
women's leadership development. The Act mandates that all governmental
organisations and for-profit businesses with more than 300 employees produce
action plans for the advancement of women in leadership roles and make public
updates on these plans' statuses.
However,
this policy's objective of having 30% of managerial positions held by women by
2020 was not met. This is due to institutional, structural, and societal
factors. Lack of childcare, underuse of paternity leave, labour-intensive
employment, and companies' refusal to hire and promote women into leadership
positions are a few examples of constraints.
Women's
lack of a leadership identity and leadership beliefs is one issue that needs more
attention right now. The degree to which a person self-identifies as a leader
is seen from a sociological perspective as changeable and co-constructed within
the social context. Women continuously modify who they are to fit into their
group's social identity. Women are more prone to think of themselves as future
leaders when they observe other women leading.
It
is evident that women find it challenging to develop their leadership
identities since they have less access to female leadership networks and role
models, as well as few opportunities to obtain experience through leadership
responsibilities. Women can start to see themselves as leaders and build
confidence in leadership positions through socially positive activities.
It
is essential for women to develop their own ideas as they create their own
leadership identities. In today's volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous
environment, increased self-awareness of one's own leadership ideals is
crucial, particularly in crisis situations where leaders must make difficult
decisions. To maximise their talent and leadership potential, female leaders
must grasp who they are and what their underlying principles are.
Women
may find it challenging to push themselves to advance in their careers if they
aren't given the chance to establish their leadership identities and beliefs.
When offered leadership positions, Japanese women are less motivated to accept
them than their male colleagues, exacerbating the gender leadership gap. Either
women don't feel prepared to take on extra duties or think they can't be
effective leaders.
Although
there is a huge pool of talented women in Japan, the culture has prevented them
from developing their leadership skills. It's crucial for Japanese women to
have learning chances that can broaden their thinking and offer meaningful contact
with others if they are to successfully develop their own ideas and build their
leadership identities. Through activities including mentorship, coaching,
social networking, and value development, several effective programmes assist
women in developing their leadership identities.
Finding
friends and role models is crucial for women in the male-dominated leadership
culture of Japan. They should also explore who they are by participating in
women's programmes where they can hear about the struggles and triumphs of
others.
They
can develop their confidence and drive to achieve leadership with this support.
More women need to have access to these activities, both inside and outside of
their organisations. This will provide women with the opportunity to build on
the legal initiatives taken by the Japanese government and promote conditions
where women may flourish and become leaders.
To
assist women's leadership growth in a way that will impact Japan's future,
Japanese society has to invest more in them.