1. The Status of Women Leaders in Japan: Challenges and Opportunities.- 2. Role of Women in Japan’s Cultural Context.- 3. Challenges from Employment Systems Perspectives.- 4. Career Development and Educational Opportunities for Japanese Women Interested in Leadership.- 5. Government-Led Initiatives in Developing Women Leaders.- 6. Local Community-Led Initiatives in Developing Women Leaders.- 7. Leading Self: Motivation and Leader Identity by Women in Japan.- 8. Corporate Sector: Women Leaders in Traditional Japanese Companies.- 9. Corporate Sector: Foreign-Affiliated Companies.- 10. Women Business Leaders: An Examination of Small Businesses in Japan.- 11. Women’s Representation and Political Leadership in National and Local Governance in Japan.- 12. Education Sector.- 13. Agriculture.- 14. Not-for-Profit Sector and Non-Governmental Organizations.- 15. Japan in an Asian Context.- 16. Japan in a Non-Asian Context.- 17. Synthesis - Convergence and Divergence: Practice, Sector, and International Perspectives.
Yoshie Tomozumi Nakamura is Assistant Professor of Human and Organizational Learning, Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University, USA
Mayuko Horimoto is Associate Professor of Department of Education, Faculty of Letters at Toyo University, Japan.
Gary N. McLean is Professor on the PhD Program in Organization Development at Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand.
This edited book highlights the unique cultural and socioeconomic elements of Japan and the strong influence of those elements on women leaders in the nation. It shows that gender inequality and under-utilization of female talent are deeply rooted in Japanese society, explaining why Japan lags behind other countries in Asia in this regard. The contributors are expert academicians and practitioners with a clear understanding of Japanese women leaders' aspirations and frustrations. This book has critical implications for the development of women leaders in Japan, providing intriguing insights into developing the potential of highly qualified women leaders in diverse Japanese contexts in which traditional cultural expectations and modernized values coexist.
Yoshie Tomozumi Nakamura is Assistant Professor of Human and Organizational Learning, Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University, USA
Mayuko Horimoto is Associate Professor of Department of Education, Faculty of Letters at Toyo University, Japan.
Gary N. McLean is Professor on the PhD Program in Organization Development at Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand.