Share of female managers, executives in Japan shows little growth
The proportion of female managers and executives in Japan has missed government targets amid minimal improvement in 2025, according to reports.
A survey conducted by Teikoku Databank among 26,196 companies found that the proportion of female managers in Japan rose by just 0.2 percentage points to 11.1% in 2025.
Similarly, the share of female executives increased marginally, up 0.3 percentage points to 13.8%, Nippon reported.
Meanwhile, companies with exclusively male management teams continue to dominate the landscape. The survey showed that 42.3% of Japanese firms have all-male managers, while 52.1% have executive teams comprising entirely of men.
Missing government targets
The findings come amid the Japanese government's plan to increase the proportion of female managers and executives in the country.
Under its Fifth Basic Plan for Gender Equality, the government wants the proportion of female employees at the department manager level to be at 12% in 2025. It also wants the proportion of female employees at the director level to be at 18% in 2025.
For companies listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime Market, the government wants the proportion of female executives to reach 19% by 2025.
Despite missing these targets, organisations across Japan are hopeful that they can increase the proportion of women in leadership roles, Nippon reported.
It found that 31.8% of companies expect the proportion of female managers to increase, while 13% are expecting the proportion of female corporate directors to go up.
For companies listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime Market, 32.7% of them are expecting the proportion of female executives to go up.
Teikoku Databank's poll further revealed that gender-neutral performance evaluations are the top measure (61.9%) used by organisations to promote female employees at work.
This is followed by gender-neutral job assignments and postings (51.5%) and making it easier for women to take childcare and nursing care leave (34.1%).
Importance of female leadership
The Japanese government, in a recent submission to the UN Women, has underscored the importance of women's empowerment amid a declining birthrate and ageing population.
"It will promote innovation from diverse perspectives and bring vitality to Japan's economy and society," the report read.
"In today's capital markets, the status of women's empowerment in a company is being taken into consideration in investment decisions, and women's empowerment in positions of responsibility in a company also leads to sustainable growth of the company, amid intensifying global competition."
