Japan is currently suffering a labor shortage that will only worsen. The main solution is getting more women interested in working in certain sectors, such as construction, where only 12.4 percent of the workforce is female. Even worse, only 3.5 percent of the country's civil engineers are women.
One of them is profiled on this week's installment of "Professional: Shigoto no Ryugi." ("Professional: A Style Working"; NHK-G, Mon., 10 p.m.) Reiko Abe is not only one of the most capable tunnel builders in Japan, she is in demand worldwide. Last summer she was in Indonesia, where she's helping the city of Jakarta build a new subway system. It was her first time working in a predominantly Muslim country, and NHK followed her daily work routine.
In order to celebrate its 15th year, BS-Asahi will present a special two-night historical drama, "Bimi de Soro" ("Stunned by Good Flavor"; Fri. & Sat., 6:30 p.m.), co-written by "Death Note" author Tetsuya Oishi.