Japanese women in leadership positions need to do more to become role models for those trying to rise through the ranks if Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's campaign against gender inequality is to succeed, according to the nation's top female lawmaker.
"The most important thing is to be visible," Seiko Noda, chairwoman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's General Council, said in an interview earlier this month. "Show it's not unusual to see women in the job. Appear on television. By having people see the LDP General Council chairperson is a woman, it will help change thinking."
Abe is aiming to make it easier for women to rise to the top, pledging a new law to provide incentives for companies and the central and local governments to promote women to positions of leadership, according to a new growth plan released Tuesday. The implementation of the plan is not without challenges, including a lack of child care facilities and tax rules that discourage women from full-time employment.