213: Subtle Discrimination Against Women In Japan

<p>Change happens slowly in Japan.  Getting more women into leadership positions requires a lot of other moving parts to kick in.  One of them is changing the mindset of male line managers regarding who to select to go to company training.</p> <p> </p> <p>Discrimination against women in business in Japan takes many forms.  Previous Pime Minister Abe talked about targets for women in leadership positions in companies but not much has changed.  In fact, he significantly lowered the targets after barely getting started on the campaign.  I am a Rotarian in Japan and it is male bastion still.  Rotary is a vast international organisation with the purpose of connecting diverse professions together, to build better networks and to contribute to the community.</p> <p> </p> <p>In Japan, the majority of rotary clubs do not have women members.  My own was the same until a few years ago.  Every year since I joined in 2002, we have had internal debates about accepting females into our club.  The “no women” faction basically aged and passed on. </p> <p> </p> <p>Of course, there were no regulations stating that women could not join, but the reality was women could never pass the selection protocol because of their gender.  Happily that era has now passed and we now have some female members. </p> <p> </p> <p>Who are these men in Rotary.  They are businessmen ranging from small local business owners to the mightiest captains of industry.  My club is full of the latter.  In Japan, Rotary just adds another layer to those male connections built up at school and University.</p> <p> </p> <p>Rotary around the world continues to grow in memberships but not in Japan. Up until 2000, Japan was leading the world in recruiting new members and since then has spiraled down.  Since opening the doors up to women in business, it has finally begun to turn around.</p> <p> </p> <p>Facing a steadily declining membership, did the captains of industry embrace the reality and accept women to stem the haemorrhaging of the numbers.  No, they hung in there