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Unleashing the Power of Women Expanding opportunities for women in the workplace and throughout society is a central plank in the Abe government’s growth strategy for Japan. In that spirit, the Japanese government and three other spon- sors convened the World Assembly for Women in Tokyo (WAW! Tokyo 2014) from September 12 to 14. Participating as speakers and as workgroup participants were about 100 public- and private-sector luminaries from around the world. Highlighting the event was a high- level roundtable on September 13.

Sponsors: Government of Japan Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) Nikkei Inc. Japan Institute of International Affairs Supporter: Japan Center for Economic Research Pictured above Left, from top: Barbara Judge, Chairperson, UK Pension Protection Fund; Miki Tsusaka, Senior Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group; Zainab Hawa Bangura, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict.Center, from top: Shinzo Abe, ; Helen Clark, Administrator, United Nations Development Program. Right: Haruko Arimura, Minister in Charge of Women’s Empowerment, Japan ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT

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organizations, entrepreneurship, infra- fellow at the Cambridge [University] structure, human security, peace and Central Asia Forum and a former vice prosperity, and self-determination. The minister for foreign affairs. She called workgroups convened for 90 minutes in attention to the far-reaching implica- the morning and again for an hour after tions of the proposals that the partici- lunch to hammer out policy proposals. pants would prepare. Coordinating the group focused on “Please enjoy substantive discussions women in the economy was Hiroko Ota, in the small workshop format,” encour- a professor at Japan’s National Graduate aged Yamanaka in the expectation of Institute for Policy Studies and a former heart-to-heart talks. “The secret weap- minister of state for economic and fiscal on is us, women, who can help to en- policy. She urged her members at their sure a more peaceful and stable world group kickoff session to identify ways to community.” translate talk into action. “We have heard repeated calls here As readily as any man for mobilizing women as a key to eco- A pair of speakers offered remarks af- nomic growth,” Ota remarked. “Now, ter the group coordinator at each of the you will take up the question of mea- kickoff sessions. All of the speakers em- sures for making that happen. I call on phasized the importance of sustainabil- you to understand the issues that Japan ity in efforts for empowering women. faces and to generate policy proposals Haruko Arimura, the Abe govern- based on your experience in your dif- ment’s minister in charge of women’s ferent nations.” empowerment, addressed the group fo- Coordinating the group focused on cused on women in the economy. She global issues that affect women was called for female solidarity in support of Akiko Yamanaka, a senior diplomatic empowering women. “Reshaping institutions and prac- their work in the nonviolent struggle for participants to share their wisdom freely tices to create a more amenable social women’s safety and rights. One of her and frankly. “We have a proverb in Japan,” framework for women will benefit all Unleashing the Power corecipients, Yemen’s Tawakkol Karman, Abe told his listeners, “that says ‘Wisdom members of society,” promised Arimura. was on hand for WAW! Tokyo 2014 as a derives from the counsel of three peo- “That means young and old, male and of Women workgroup participant. ple.’ Today, not three but some one hun- female, weak and strong. And this is Prime Minister Abe reminded the at- dred people have come together. I hope about more than Japan. Women are a tendees of Japan’s wide-ranging support that you will come forward with propos- potential source of power for driving for women’s empowerment worldwide. als for creating a society where women sustainable progress worldwide. So let apan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, the speak- “Fundamental rights, such as the rights will shine.” us join together in voicing our needs opened WAW! Tokyo 2014’s high- er of the Bangladeshi parliament; Dédé to education and health, must be ensured and in calling for the requisite change.” level roundtable on September Ahoéfa Ekoue, Togo’s minister of so- throughout the world. The world must Talk into action Offering kickoff remarks to the same 13 with a rousing welcome to cial action, women promotion and lit- come together as one and take action After the opening session, the approx- group was Grace Fu, Minister, Prime theJ participants and guests. “To create a eracy; and Vanda Guiomar Pignato, El so that girls and boys can attend school imately 100 participants split up into Minister’s Office; Second Minister for society in which women shine,” declared Salvador’s secretary for social inclusion. equally and so that expectant moth- two groups: one focused on measures “This WAW! symposium the Environment and Water Resources; the prime minister. “That is the pledge I In attendance were such dignitaries as ers can receive medical care with peace for promoting an expanded role for can be a game changer for and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs made exactly a year ago at the United Caroline Kennedy, the US ambassador to of mind.” Abe detailed the three-year, women in economic activity and the gender equality and women’s of Singapore. She applauded Prime Nations General Assembly. This WAW! Japan, and Cherie Blair, a noted human US$3 billion commitment to women’s- other focused on global issues that af- empowerment, connecting Minister Abe’s expressed commitment to symposium is a step toward making that rights advocate and the wife of former empowerment initiatives that he made fect women and on women’s role in ad- activists, leaders, and experts raising the percentage of Japanese lead- pledge a reality.” UK prime minister Tony Blair. at the United Nations General Assembly. dressing those issues. Those two groups and setting the stage for ership positions filled by women to 30% Also delivering remarks in the opening The opening session included a mes- And he reported that Japan is ahead of got started in tandem with 30-minute a world in which women are by 2020. Fu welcomed, too, Abe’s em- session were Helen Clark, the administra- sage from Liberian president and Nobel schedule in delivering the promised kickoff sessions. free to participate fully and phasis on ensuring flexibility for women tor of the United Nations Development laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She and assistance. The members then split up further equally in all spheres of life.” in living their lives—on not needing to Program; Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, two other African women received the The prime minister wrapped up the into six workgroups focused on differ- Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka face a stark choice between work and the executive director of UN Women; 2011 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of opening session with a call for the ent themes: public- and private-sector Executive Director, UN Women family. “I look forward,” she concluded,

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“to seeing the changes being made in by women in society is part of the foun- networks of survivors, starting small greeted the suggestion that Germany’s the percentage of non-Caucasian stu- Japan.” dation for preventing conflict and for businesses, even running for office in 80 million people presumably included dents and are now struggling to main- Kicking off the group focused on building peace. Women play a crucial local elections. a few dozen qualified women. Members tain a viable Caucasian percentage. She global issues that affect women and on role also in creating a society that is re- “If we want women to participate in of the workgroup mirthfully agreed that also noted that companies have a re- women’s role in addressing those issues silient to disaster.” conflict prevention and peacebuilding, merit-based selection was less a factor sponsibility to appoint the best-qualified were Japan’s minister for foreign af- Bangura heightened the sense of ur- we must make it safe for them to do so. than discrimination in the status quo. candidates to management positions, re- fairs, , and Sierra Leone’s gency with a personal account of the I hope our discussions today will bring Wary of quotas was Deborah M. Soon, gardless of gender, and suggested that Zainab Hawa Bangura, the UN special aftermath of her nation’s civil war. us one step closer to a world where any a senior vice president at Catalyst Inc., quotas could impede the fulfillment of representative on sexual violence in “Countless women,” she related, “had woman can help decide the future of her a New York–based nonprofit research that responsibility or cause other unin- conflict. Both of them underlined the been abducted and brutalized. I trav- country as readily as any man.” organization that monitors gender tended consequences. transcendent challenge of achieving and eled from village to village, recording equality in business. Soon cited the US Zia Mody, the founder of and a senior maintaining peace. testimonies. Everywhere, I encoun- To mandate or not to mandate experience with ethnic quotas at uni- partner at the Indian law firm AZB and “Let us remind ourselves anew,” urged tered women who were picking up the The debate and discussion in each of the versities. Numerous US universities, she Partners, acknowledged ambivalence Japan’s first lady, Akie Abe, mingles with Kishida, “that the proactive participation pieces of their shattered lives, building workgroups were vigorous yet nuanced. noted, started with quotas for increasing about quotas. Her conclusion, however, other WAW! Tokyo 2014 participants.

Workgroup Rapporteur Workgroup Moderator Public- and Private-Sector Organizations Infrastructure “I’m in total agreement Workgroup Moderator “Japan can ill afford to Workgroup Rapporteur with those of you who have Entrepreneurship underutilize half of its Human Security pointed out the importance “Attitudes about women’s human resources as it “Something we need to of role models. Media has business acumen are grapples with a shrink- address further is the a huge role to play, of changing visibly in Japan. ing and aging population, role of gender-specific course, and I hope that I run a recruitment service with labor shortages, and measures in emergency- we’ll have representatives for women where we with fiscal challenges. response efforts. We must of Japanese mass media place management-level Closing Japan’s gender ensure that comprehensive here next year in the work- individuals and where gap in employment could and proven policies and Ellana Lee groups, for we need to talk we find rewarding work Kathy Matsui increase the GDP by near- mechanisms are in place to Senior Vice President and about ways of developing for single mothers. Our Managing Director ly 13%. So the potential address and respond to the Managing Editor Goldman Sachs Japan Co., Ltd. content to foster positive Makiko Fukui business is growing as benefits of womenomics Catherine Russell immediate needs of wom- CNN International images of women.” employers awaken to the are huge.” en and girls in the event Founder and President US Ambassador-at-Large for Harmony Residence, Inc. value that women can Global Women’s Issues of shocks or crises that bring to the workplace.” threaten human security.”

Typical was the following exchange in is that quotas are a necessary evil for any approach arbitrarily across differ- support for numerical targets. She the workgroup that handled the sub- the time being. She expressed agreement ent jurisdictions.” opined, however, that the government ject of expanding the role of women in with Soon’s objections. But she insisted Shinzo Maeda, a former chairman should not set and impose targets but, public- and private-sector organiza- that the only way to start when present- of the cosmetics maker Shiseido Co., rather, should require companies to es- tions. Under discussion were the pros ed with an uneven playing field is with Ltd., objected to quotas on the basis tablish and pursue their own targets and cons of adopting quotas or other measures for leveling the field. that they can occasion adverse side ef- and to disclose information about their numerical targets for the female per- Sounding a cautionary note in the de- fects. Seconding his view was Yukako progress. Ferner objected, retorting that centages of corporate executives and bate was Kevin McCann, the chairman Uchinaga, the chairperson of J-Win, a voluntary quotas don’t work with peo- managers. of the Australian investment banking nonprofit organization that promotes ple who don’t want to change. Voicing support for quotas was Elke and financial services group Macquarie diversity in the workplace. Even well- Also arguing for mandatory gen- Ferner, the parliamentary state secre- Group Limited. McCann emphasized the intended quotas, she warned, can in- der quotas was Yoshiaki Fujimori, tary at Germany’s Ministry for Family need for giving consideration to na- vite negative reactions and thus become the president and CEO of the build- Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and tional and regional differences in con- counterproductive. ing and housing equipment company Youth. The topic of the small number of templating quotas or any measures for Kimie Iwata, the president of the Japan LIXIL Group Corporation. He noted the A rich diversity of ethnic backgrounds and vocational experience enlivened the interchange in women on corporate boards in Germany promoting gender equality. He cau- Institute of Workers’ Empowerment deeply entrenched obstacles to women each of the workgroups. had come up. And knowing smiles had tioned against the “error of applying and Diversity Management, expressed in senior management and submitted

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that Japan will not change without words, on their success in shaping a for Global Affairs and a former minister Blueprints for change Invest in empowering women Empower women mandatory mechanisms. diverse workforce. And that, reported for foreign affairs. “But [the challenge Everyone reassembled for the clos- Bolster social resilience through stra- Deploy technology in upgrading edu- Offering an alternative approach was Sweeney, produced results. of empowering women] calls for us to ing session and the presentation of the tegic investment in education, medical cation, in providing enterprise support Anne Sweeney, the cochair of Disney take the initiative as individuals and as workgroups’ policy proposals. Ota and care, food, energy, and other pertinent for small businesses, and in sharing in- Media Networks and the president of No, I can’t. Yes, I can society.” Yamanaka, the group coordinators, sectors. formation globally about best practice. the Disney/ABC Television Group. She Discussions in all six workgroups turned If the kind of initiative urged by summarized the proposals as follows. Peace and prosperity Nurture self-confidence among women stressed that building diversity needs to repeatedly to the need for asserting ini- Kawaguchi is to materialize, it will be Public- and private-sector organizations Ensure female participation in politi- through high-visibility female activity begin at the workplace level. And she tiative in effecting change. Witness the the product of a combination of frus- Secure top management’s commitment cal leadership in leadership positions. described her company’s success in that following comment by a member of the tration and hope. Both elements are Clarify targets, implement action plans, Implement United Nations Security endeavor. That success resulted, she ex- self-determination workgroup. evident in comments by Masako Mori, and strengthen accountability. Endorse Council Resolution 1325, which calls for The day the mountains move plained, from making diversity a per- “We tend to look to the government a member of the House of Councillors pending Japanese legislation that would addressing the special needs of women Foreign minister Kishida thanked the formance criterion for the hiring team. to take the lead [in bringing about and a former minister in charge of sup- support women’s empowerment in the and girls during and after military con- participants for their proposals and re- Compensation for the people responsi- change],” observed Yoriko Kawaguchi, a port for women’s empowerment and workplace. Promote change in middle flicts in repatriation and resettlement, iterated the spirit he had expressed in ble for hiring depended partly, in other professor at Meiji University’s Institute child-rearing. management’s mindset. Train women rehabilitation, reintegration, and recon- his opening remarks: “Empower women, and produce female role models. struction. Secure the participation of and you empower children and men and Workgroup Rapporteur Transform work formats women in all stages of peacebuilding communities. That is the positive chain Peace and Prosperity Abandon long working hours and adopt and in pertinent governmental decision reaction that women’s empowerment productive and flexible work practices. making. can bring.” “We’ve seen here that a Workgroup Rapporteur Self-Determination Shift from “work-life balance” to “work- Reinforce the role of women in peace Addressing the gathering after the disconnect occurs between life management” so individuals can de- and security presentation of the policy proposals, the peacebuilding contri- “What has emerged cide freely how to blend work and life. Document the role that women play in UN Women’s Mlambo-Ngcuka spoke for bution by women on the throughout our discus- Entrepreneurship peace and security and make the docu- everyone when she exclaimed, “I’m ex- ground in war-torn areas sions is that for all our Encourage female entrepreneurship mentary evidence accessible to the pub- hausted, but I’m energized!” She then and the lack of support progress in women’s em- Lower hurdles in fund-raising through lic. Abolish the culture of impunity for evoked the spirit of WAW! Tokyo 2014 for them from the gov- powerment we still face such means as providing loan financing sexual violence and provide survivor- with a moving recitation of a 1911 work ernments trying to broker structural impediments. without requiring personal guarantees. centered support in peacebuilding. by the Japanese poet Akiko Yosano: peace. Enlisting women’s What is striking is the Familiarize young people with entrepre- Self-determination Melanne Verveer participation in the peace- commonality of the prob- neurship as a viable career option. Reveal and correct biases against The day the mountains move has come. Executive Director building process is a strug- lems in industrialized Support woman-run businesses women in law, in institutions, and in I speak, but no one believes me. Georgetown [University] gle. It depends on active Sheila Smith societies, which have le- Favor woman-run companies in allocat- national policy For a time the mountains have been Institute for Women, Peace government support.” gal protections, and less- and Security Senior Fellow ing public-sector purchasing. Use advanced statistical analytics to asleep, Council on Foreign Relations industrialized societies, Infrastructure analyze and monitor structural im- But long ago they all danced with fire. which lack protections.” Expand care-in-the-home options pediments to gender equality and to It doesn’t matter if you believe this, Promote babysitting and caregiving in thereby keep a spotlight on challenges My friends, as long as you believe: homes. Establish national standards for that women face in the workplace and All the sleeping women “I’ll never forget the looks I got from Positive results will hinge, believes Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, babysitters and caregivers and build a throughout society. Are now awake and moving. people at New York University 15 years Kawaguchi, on a shift in psychology. Akie Abe (seated on the prime minister’s market infrastructure to connect supply ago when they heard that I was from “I’ve had the experience [in government left), sit in on a WAW! Tokyo 2014 work- and demand. group session. The prime minister and Japan. ‘Oh, you poor thing,’ they’d say. and in the private sector],” she recalled, first lady visited all six workgroups. Revise the income tax code and the ‘How do you cope with the male chau- “of trying to promote highly qualified social security system vinism there?’ Well, 20 years have passed younger women and having them re- Identify and eliminate tax and benefit since I became a registered lawyer in fuse, saying ‘No, I can’t.’ Each time, I weightings for dependents that discour- Japan, and we women are still beating suspected that a male of the same or age women from working outside the our heads against the glass ceiling.” lesser capabilities would have accepted, home. Introduce income tax deductions Mori spoke proudly of the unprece­ saying ‘Yes, I can.’” and other measures to support child dented tenaciousness of the Abe Kawaguchi acknowledged that the rearing. Provide companies with tax in- government in tackling the cause of em- problem might be partly a Japan- centives to encourage men to take pa- powering women. “This is our last, best specific issue. But she speculated that rental leave. chance to break through the glass ceil- the female reticence to assume increased Human security At the closing session (from left), roundtable group leaders Ota and Yamanaka, Japanese ing. If we don’t produce results this time authority and responsibility is part of a Address women’s and children’s needs foreign minister Kishida, UN Women’s Mlambo-Ngcuka, Bangladeshi parliament speaker around, the world will give up on us.” broader pattern of social conditioning. Upgrade disaster preparedness. Chaudhury, and the Macquarie Group’s McCann.

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“The situation of women differs WAW! Tokyo 2014’s Nationwide Glow from country to country. he WAW! Tokyo 2014 sponsors designated the period However, you who have gathered from September 8 to 19 as Shine Weeks, which oc- here today all share the Tcasioned scores of WAW!-related activities nation- wide. One notable event was a symposium held wish of wanting to make in the city of Kyoto (photos). the future brighter for women. The governor of Kyoto Prefecture, Keiji Yamada, and the head of the I want this forum to be a starting Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and point from which we share our Industry, Yoshio Tateishi, wel- comed two WAW! Tokyo 2014 wisdom and discover solutions.” delegates from abroad: the Indian Shinzo Abe attorney Zia Mody (left) and Noni Prime Minister of Japan Purnomo, the president of the Indo- nesian transport enterprise Blue Bird Group Holding (below). Also on hand to welcome the guests were female represen- tatives of academia and the cultural sphere. Mody discussed obstacles that women face in Indian society and described her government’s ini- tiatives for overcoming those obstacles. Purnomo related her experience as a female CEO in a male-dominated industry and expressed admiration for the Abe government’s commitment to em- powering women. Tateishi outlined the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s goals for increas- ing the percentage of women in corporate management. He noted that entrepreneurial creativity will be more important than ever to corpo- rate viability in Japan as the pop- ulation shrinks and ages. And he emphasized that women will be a wellspring of the needed creativity. Kyoto Prefecture gov- “We have great news today,” declared Prime Minister ernor Yamada reflected Shinzo Abe in his opening address to WAW! Tokyo 2014’s on the central role of high-level roundtable. The auspicious news was that UN women in the literature Women will open a Tokyo office in 2015. Support for UN and other facets of cul- Women has been an important avenue for fulfilling the ture for which Kyoto is Abe government’s commitment to female empowerment known. He pledged in his and to multilateral international cooperation. And Japan closing remarks a stepped- has increased its financial contributions to UN Women up commitment to female fivefold in the past year. empowerment by the prefec- The United Nations established UN Women in 2010 to tural government in cooperation promote gender equality and the empowerment of wom- with related organizations. en. Operational since 2011, UN Women has integrated and strengthened functions formerly handled by multiple UN agencies. GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN

Planning and production: Global Business Bureau, Nikkei Inc.