With the 21st century on the horizon, Japan is going through a period of major transition with a variety of challenges to undertake; deregulation and globalization of the economy, restructuring of corporate management, more flexible employment system, and the aging of the population.

Today, due to these structural problems, the Japanese economy is in a deadlock. To cope with and tide over the upcoming changes, we must work to further encourage the participation of women, who make up half of the population, in a wider range of economic activities. The Revised Equal Opportunity Law and the Fundamental Law Designed to Promote a Gender Equal Society recently introduced, will certainly help women perform more active roles in economy. In fact, women are already pursuing more professional and/or managerial careers than ever before. Nevertheless, the number of women who hold top management and/or executive positions or play any other core parts of economic activities is still very few.

While there are many activities underway in Japan to help remove barriers for women at work ranging from flexible time off to child care, there is virtually no effort to crack so-called invisible “glass ceiling” or even “glass walls”.

Our goals are increased role of women at work with increased profits to corporations, effective positive actions, realization of new societal system with smaller families and better work life balance.

Create
Career Advancement
Career advisor training course
Leadership development seminar
Business planning seminar
Career development seminar
Vocational counseling
Job-search services

Study
Research, Study & Consulting
Evaluation of companies
Action planning/Policy planning/Consulting
Hearing with firms
Survey on consciousness and actual situation of labor

Action
Research & Information
Publication of “Women and Work Journal”
Carrying out of action tours
Holding of international symposiums

We are sincere and eager to make significant impact to the women’s advancement at corporations thereby contributing to the societal development.

For more information, please contact Chieko, Kanatani, President, Women and Work Research Center.

(Tokyo office) 4F, 4-7-14 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032
Phone +81-3-5414-3560 Fax +81-3-5414-1295
(Osaka office) 1-4-17 Dojimahama, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0004
Phone +81-6-6341-3516 Fax +81-6-6341-3517

http://www.women-work.org
E-mail info@women-work.org

Chieko Kanatani
Professor, Research and Development Initiative, Chuo University
Representative, Women and Work Research Center

Books
“How to change the company, how to build a successful career” 2003.10
published by Chuo University publishing division

Education
Graduated Osaka City University, Faculty of Law
Graduated Osaka City University, Graduate School of Law
Graduated Osaka City University Graduate School of Economics

Born on August 2nd, 1939 in Osaka