Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has long made creating jobs for women central to his economic policy, but as the country heads for its worst economic slump since World War II women are suffering a bigger share of the pain.

Helped by a worker shortage, female labor participation hit a decade-high of more than 70 percent under Abe's campaign, often dubbed "Womenomics."

The catch: Many women lack the job security of male workers, with more than half holding vulnerable part-time, contract or temporary jobs.