In recent times, women have increasingly become an engine for economic and cultural progress worldwide, often fighting against disadvantageous circumstances. When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that empowering women in the economy was an essential aspect of his "Abenomics" strategy, he was also stressing the need for women to have a more active role in society.
Today, the number of female entrepreneurs in Japan, however, is still half that of males. The Global Entrepreneur Development Index (GEDI), which determines favorable conditions for women entrepreneurs, ranks the United States and Australia as first and second, while Japan is at 15th, behind Peru.
This is due to several factors. Among them are the few resources given to women entrepreneurs, the fact that entrepreneurship (particularly among women) is not actively encouraged in Japan, and cultural traditions and stereotypes push women into staying home and taking care of their families.