Japan’s efforts to increase female representation in senior business roles have faced a setback, according to a recent survey. The Kyodo news agency reported that only 13 women serve as chief executive officers among the 1,643 companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s prime market, making up just 0.8% of top executives.
The survey, based on fiscal 2023 financial statements, highlights the slow progress Japan is making in diversifying its corporate leadership. This is a significant challenge for the government, which aims to have women occupy at least 30% of executive positions by the end of the decade.
Despite some high-profile appointments in recent years, such as Mitsuko Tottori becoming the first female president of Japan Airlines and Naomi Unemoto as the first female prosecutor-general, overall female representation remains low. A 2022 OECD survey showed women held just 15.5% of executive roles in Japan, compared to 40.9% in Britain and 45.2% in France.
Japan’s gender equality efforts continue to lag behind many other developed economies. The country ranks 27th out of 29 in the Economist’s “glass-ceiling index.” However, there have been improvements, with female board members now exceeding 3,000, double the number from five years ago.
The prospect of Sanae Takaichi, a potential candidate for leader of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, becoming Japan’s first female prime minister has generated interest. Although Takaichi, a conservative, is a strong LDP supporter, her popularity among colleagues remains mixed.