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Japanese women are an enigma to the world. Demure and exotic, they are often portrayed as sufferers in the chauvinistic culture – for example, married women on average spend as twice as long time on chores compared to their partners. Designated to a second-class citizen status in the working world, they are ultra-minority in the decision-making positions (e.g. half of public companies have all-male boards). It is lamentable when more than thirty years have passed since the Equal Employment Act was enacted in 1987.
"And where are the women?" asks a perplexed Belgian CEO who freshly assumed his role at a blue-chip Japanese company, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings. This book tries to answer this question through firsthand interviews with successful senior Japanese women who have embarked on a career around 1987, thus approaching retirement. They range from corporate, entrepreneurs to academic. They are a minority compared to their male peers in the cohort, but they present a wide spectrum of how a minority can carve out a long and rewarding career. Diversity of their colorful lives tells a reality of Japanese women not relegated to a monolithic, victimized position in the society. Often their careers take an unexpected turn making them more thrilling rides than straightforward paths of men. The mentors play an important role. The role models are often amiss, but not missed by these trailblazers. It is also about riding the wave – if the employer is routing for women to ascend, why feel ashamed about seizing the opportunity? They are tales of individual struggles and triumphs. The women are funny and forthcoming. Much has changed throughout their career, but there is still a long way to go. Having been there done that, they share their observations for what needs to be done.
Prefacing these stories will be the societal context within which the readers should associate each chronicle. Fresh Tracks offers lessons on individual survival and provides a recipe for further societal changes to pave the way for next generation. Each chapter will include a list of recommendations which the public and private sectors can make so Japan can further facilitate the rise of women in the working world.
Key takeaways:
- How to craft successful careers from an underdog position
- What advantages and disadvantages Japanese society offer working women
- How to make the working world more gender-equitable
