Increasing gender diversity in top Japanese companies

This article dissects gender diversity within the workplace in Japan. Japan is not only racially homogenous but also homogenous in its workplace dynamics. The article emphasizes that diversity in the workplace leads to innovation and allows companies to succeed and stand out. Japan companies are just waking up to the fact that “the more diverse the group, the better [their] chances [are] of coming up with innovative ideas” because they are being “overtaken by more diverse and vibrant competitors such as the U.S.” Japan is starting to make progress of having more women in the workforce because the gender gap for education and university entrances is closing. There is however, an increasing gender gap between the number of men and women moving to bigger cities in search of work. With more women entering the workforce and moving to bigger cities in hopes of seeking better job opportunities, it is harder to find spouses which it’s contributing to Japan’s decreasing population.

Within the title of the article is the word “tokenism.” At one point in the article the author mentions that “one woman out of 10 makes for a lonely voice in the boardroom and
seems like a mere tokenism. Complacency can seep in as companies feel they have
checked the box for another governance requirement.” She goes on to explain how having one female board member can leader to intimidation for the woman and having two women can “be awkward, lending to stereotyping and typecasting as rivals, or at best, contrasts.” While three women “in a group of 10, at last, normalizes women in leadership. This is the minimum goal each individual company
should aim to reach: 30%.” Companies are being held accountable to address the gender gap or else they may not succeed in today’s world.

 In comparison, in the United States, “27% of all S&P 500 board seats are taken by women, according to ISS analytics.” Not only is gender inclusion in the workplace a big topic in America, but also racial diversity in the workplace is too. It’s interesting to read how Japan is mainly addressing the gender gap  in the workplace and not addressing the diversity gap as much. The United States and Japan still have a lot of work to do in regards to closing the gender gap within board seats in top companies.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/25/there-is-now-a-woman-board-member-at-every-sp-500-company.html