The recent passage of a government-sponsored bill to promote women in the workplace is widely seen as a small step forward in a country that lags far behind other developed nations when it comes to gender equality.
Utilizing the potential talent of women is an urgent issue, considering Japan's shrinking labor force.
But to achieve greater female participation in business, Japan's long-held male-oriented corporate culture must change, experts say. How effective the new law will be depends heavily on the determination and mindset of employers, they claim.