An annual gathering of Kansai's corporate leaders closed Friday with calls to strengthen the role of women in society.
The Kansai Economic Seminar, which started Thursday, drew about 550 corporate leaders from the region, virtually all of whom are male. Nationwide, only about 11 percent of managerial positions at major corporations are held by women, as opposed to about 30 to 40 percent in the West.
With Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promising to make the role of women in society stronger following months of international comments ranging from the International Monetary Fund to Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi about Japan's need to empower women, Kansai's corporate leaders decided to include a session at this year's seminar on the challenges faced by female executives at not only large firms but also small and medium-size enterprises.