Japan’s huge army of under-employed housewives - 27th September 2021

Japan could be brought back from the brink of economic catastrophe if there were to be a radical sea change to prevent its educated women from being marginalised in the workplace. The almost insurmountable hurdle in their way is an antiquated system of job allocation and an executive workforce dominated by men.

A policy devised to accelerate women’s progress into senior roles, has barely scratched the surface of the problem. Heralded with much fanfare, ‘Womenomics’ had been tasked with showcasing women and encouraging them to shine. It failed miserably to attain its targets, with just one in 10 members of parliament being female and only 15 percent of top jobs having been secured by women by the time the policy’s deadline was reached.

For decades, the economy had been thriving so much that a household could survive with a sole breadwinner, enabling mums to stay at home. But as the 'Womenomics' policy was brought in, family incomes started to dwindle, resulting in more women returning to the coalface. Female participation has risen to almost 80 percent amongst the 25-44 age group.

Childcare waiting lists were abolished, and large enterprises were pressured into allowing at least one female to climb the ladder to the top positions. However, as there were no embedded incentives or repercussions, companies didn’t take the bait.

Consequently, the same rigid hiring practices remained in situ. Major companies continue enacting the country’s well established lifetime employment system, in which newly recruited graduates are handed a job on a silver platter. Having gaps on your CV is frowned upon and large companies persevere with a seniority based evaluation system rather than a meritocracy.

Kathy Matsui, who coined the term ‘Womenomics’ recognises the country’s diminishing talent pool and is pinning her hopes on a revolution in hiring practices.