Ayaka Saito, 35, a full-time employee at vessel parts maker Ena Seisakusho in the city of Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, fine-tunes a lathe to shave a piece of metal to perfection to complete a part for a large ship — a moment that gives her a sense of accomplishment.
Saito, who is raising a 1-year-old child, is one of a growing number of women who return to work after giving birth. Despite various obstacles in her search for a job, she was keen to acquire specialized skills that would enable her to work in a way that she wanted.
She had quit her clerical job at a cram school when she got married in June 2021. In January this year, Ena Seisakusho hired her.
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.