Cosmetics maker Shiseido Co. said Tuesday it will establish a joint venture in February to operate child care centers at corporate operation sites, aiming to help women find a balance between their jobs and raising children.
The company will sign a joint venture contract with JP Holdings Inc., a nursery center operator, in January, with Shiseido holding 51 percent and the partner the remaining 49 percent.
Shiseido plans to consign the operation of a child care center to the joint venture. The child care facility will open in the fall at its own factory in Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture, the company said.
The facility will accept about 50 children before elementary school, not only from its employees but also from neighboring residents.
Shiseido envisions expanding the operation of the joint venture nationwide in the future.
Masahiko Uotani, chief executive officer of Shiseido, said the managements of many firms hope women will play active roles, adding that child care support "should no longer be mere welfare but part of business strategy."
Shiseido, a firm where women make up about 80 percent of all employees, has had an in-house child care center at its head office in central Tokyo since 2003.
