This series explores topics surrounding women who began their careers in Japan around the time of the implementation of equal opportunities employment legislation in the mid-1980s. With many now reaching the age of retirement, it is hoped that their stories can provide insight and lessons for women in Japan’s professional world today.

It is no secret that foreign-owned employers, gaishikei in Japanese, have long attracted and benefited from ambitious top female Japanese graduates joining their ranks. These women have long been frustrated by the implicit and explicit gender bias that stubbornly plagues traditional Japanese companies. Typically more meritocratic than seniority- or gender-driven firms, the gaishikei work environment, often requiring English communication between headquarters and global offices, also aligned well with these women’s penchant for better language skills.

IBM, which entered Japan in 1937, is a large-scale employer — over 305,300 strong as of 2023, according to IBM's annual report — whose investment in local female talent from the early days deserves particular credit. Many women eventually graduated from IBM Japan to build prominent careers and serve as role models for younger generations; many are still active. One of these pioneers is Yukako Uchinaga, who retired from IBM Japan in 2007 as director and senior executive officer after 36 years, and went on to become CEO at Berlitz from 2008 to 2013.