Hitachi Ltd. says it is aiming to increase the number of women in management by 2.5-fold to 1,000 by fiscal 2020 and to appoint female employees as board members by fiscal 2015.

If the number of female managers at section chief and higher levels increases as hoped, women's share of management staff will rise to about 8 percent from 3.5 percent in fiscal 2012, according to Hitachi.

The company is diversifying its top management by appointing foreign directors and female outside directors but has no female director promoted from within Hitachi.

Officials said Hitachi is also improving its system to help female employees successfully balance work with child-raising to secure quality personnel.