Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left behind a mixed legacy for working women in Japan, with strong labor force gains masking persistent shortcomings in the country’s boardrooms.
Among the things Abe, who was fatally shot at a political event two weeks ago, will be most remembered for was his audacious growth plan for Japan as the population shrinks and economy stagnates. A core part of that was dubbed "womenomics,” a government initiative that sought to encourage more women to join the workforce.
Womenomics policies required large Japanese companies to produce action plans for hiring and promoting more women and pressured firms to pay female employees the same as men. Under the womenomics rubric, the Abe government also worked to expand access to childcare options.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.