Mon, 08 Dec 2025

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 Can Japan get more female business leaders?

The country lags behind when it comes to women in leadership positions.
Support organisations like MPower Partners and Startup Lady focus on empowering female entrepreneurs but note a "clubby" environment in Japan's VC community, making it hard for women to get funding or information. Female founders are often subject to sexual harassment. To address these issues, Tokyo University launched an initiative called UTokyo Gender Equity #WeChange, aiming to increase the ratio of female faculty members from 16% to 25% by 2027. The university provides subsidies to departments hiring female faculty and offers outreach programs to counteract early-stage gender bias. The election of Sanae Takaichi as prime minister is seen as a significant moment for women in Japan, but some argue that her conservative views may not lead to meaningful change.
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