Women in Work: Why Does Japan Lag Behind?

Date
Thursday 2 May 2024
Time
5.30pm for 6.00pm

Venue
Nomura International plc
One Angel Lane
London EC4R 3AB

Booking Details
Free - Booking essential 
This event is open to everyone, with members given priority

In March 2024, the World Bank ranked Japan last of OECD nations for gender equality, while the World Economic Forum’s 2023 ‘Global Gender Gap’ ranked Japan 125^th out of 146 countries. While Japan facilitates women doing well in education and health outcomes, the gender gap in political engagement and economic participation remains stark. Neither arguments based on rights nor those based on the economic virtue of better utilising half the population have yet made a significant difference here.

In the first of a series of events on ‘Women in Work: Japan’, our panel of experts will explore the reasons why Japan lags behind for women in work, drawing on personal experience and their research.

There will be a sake reception immediately after the lecture where you will be able to network with others who are eager to see change in this area.

The Japan Society is extremely grateful to leading Corporate Partner, Nomura International plc, for hosting this event. We would also like to thank Sake Samurai for generously providing sake for the reception.

Moderator:

Emiko Terazono is an editor on the Financial Times' companies news desk, focusing on the auto, airline, logistics and defence industries since April 2023. She was previously covering agriculture as part of the natural resources team and has worked on a range of reporting and editing jobs on the paper. Prior to the FT, she spent 3 years at the Bank of Tokyo in Japan.

Panellists:

Kayo Ito is Senior Vice President, Japanese Multinationals at NTT DATA. Kayo Ito has over 20 years of experience in the global telecommunications industry.  Currently as the Senior Vice President leading sales for Japanese Multinationals at NTT DATA, she is responsible for supporting NTT’s Japanese clients with their IT needs as they grow their business outside of Japan. Kayo is passionate about communicating, connecting and collaborating with people and is excited to be in the IT industry at this time - imagining the potential IT has in improving society.

Daisuke Tsuchiya has served on the Advisory Board of the 30% Club Japan Chapter since its inception in 2019.  As the Head of Japan for multi-stakeholder engagement advisory firm Brunswick Group, Daisuke has advised leading companies for over a decade on high stakes situations including crisis and mergers and acquisitions(M&A).  Prior to joining Brunswick Daisuke had a career spanning over 15 years as a fast-track diplomat in the Japanese Foreign Ministry, involved in US military base issues in Okinawa, WTO Doha Round negotiations, and Ministry procurement reform. Daisuke is a Guest Professor of the ESG-Integration Center at the Osaka University and serves as a Non-Executive Board Member of Japan House London.

Helen Macnaughtan is Senior Lecturer in International Business and Management at SOAS University of London.  She lectures on business, labour and Human Resource Management (HRM) issues in contemporary Japan and within a broader East Asian context.  Her main research interests focus on a range of topics relating to gender issues in Japan, particularly the history of women and work and the progress of gender equality in contemporary Japan.  She is also interested in the history of gender and sport in Japan and has published on the corporate origins of women’s volleyball in Japan, the story of the gold medal victory in women’s volleyball at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the corporate origins of men’s rugby in Japan.  She is a London resident Kiwi and an avid follower of rugby. Publications are available for view here (http://soas.academia.edu/HelenMacnaughtan)

Video Message:

Stefanie Drews, President of Nikko Asset Management
Stefanie Drews is based in Tokyo and was promoted to President of Nikko Asset Management in April 2022. She joined the firm in 2014 and prior to becoming President she held various roles where she was responsible for domestic and international product development and management, marketing, communications, and sales support, as well as leading the international business and corporate sustainability efforts. She graduated from Oxford University and earned her MBA from Harvard University.

If you have any questions, please call the Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email us at: events@japansociety.org.uk.

Hosted by:

Sake reception supported by:

Booking Info