TOKYO: Japan’s policies to increase women’s employment are finally bearing fruit, especially by allowing female university graduates to continue working during child-rearing years.…
TOKYO: Japan’s policies to increase women’s employment are finally bearing fruit, especially by allowing female university graduates to continue working during child-rearing years.
In 2017, the percentage of first-time mothers who are university graduates in long-term employment rose to nearly 50 per cent, from below 30 per cent in the early 2000s. This trend accelerated after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe started his « womenomics » policy in 2013.
Rather than labour participation, the important ratio is women in long-term employment. Long-term employees are paid far more than non-regular employees.
Re-entering long-term employment positions in middle age after being out of the workforce is difficult. A rise in long-term employment implies an increase in the pool of female workers enjoying promotion possibilities.
The government aims to increase female employment without affecting the country’s already low birth rate. « Womenomics » policies focus on changing Japanese corporate culture and improving access to day-care centres to help workers of both sexes achieve a better work–life balance.
Six-hour working days for employees with children under the age of three was first mandated at firms with more than 100 employees, and then rolled out to other companies. This policy has proven to be successful — first childbirth statistically increased for women at mandated firms by 30 per cent after 2009.
HELP WITH CHILDCARE
The Diet passed three laws concerning childcare in 2012. It aimed to re-coordinate childcare facilities and kindergartens (previously administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as educational facilities) with day-care centres (previously administered by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as welfare facilities).
More kindergartens are encouraged to offer full-time day care. Subsidies for day care also have been extended to small day-care centres and kindergartens. While shortages are still evident, the number of childcare facilities in urban centres is increasing faster than ever before.
