Paper short abstract:

This paper compares the policy development in Scandinavian countries with that in Japan to understand why gender equality at the workplace lags behind the other industrially advanced countries 30 years after the introduction of the Equal Employment Opportunity Law.

Paper long abstract:

It has been already three decades since the Equal Employment Opportunity Law (EEOL) was enacted in Japan. There is not, however, much progress in gender equality at the workplace. Why has so little change made during the last thirty years? We all know that the EEOL has been revised several times and successive governments have tried to alleviate gender imbalance in employment, as exemplified by the Abe government "Womanomics". Researchers have pointed out various causes and solutions for gender inequality in the business sphere. There must be fundamental problems in Japan that have been impeding the promotion of gender equality.

With this question in mind, the author has endeavored to find out the success factors of countries where gender equality has been much progressed in the area of employment. The author chose three countries, i.e. Norway, Denmark and Netherlands for the comparison with Japan.

The research is currently at the data-gathering stage, and field research centring on interviews with female managers, scholars in universities and politicians in local governments has been conducted. The research has identified the key turning point for the three countries - when policy direction was decided in response to the economic development and consequent labour shortage. Whereas those of Scandinavian countries chose to defamiliarize and share care work at home in the society, Japan chose the path to put the work and burden to private household/family. As a result, the three countries have achieved women's advancement not only in employment but also in every area of people's lives. On the other hand, Japan has developed the entire economy, society and company management practices based on the system with which individuals or families take on childcare and elderly care. With this system, Japan achieved economic success and people's perceptions and cultures have also been cultivated. How can we deconstruct established the social and economic system and develop new values, culture and practices for gender equality and subsequent affluent society with a high quality of life? This would be the question facing Japanese society.