Gender inequality in the workplace by Kazuo Yamaguchi (Tokyo, Nikkei Publishing Inc, 2017)

Although five years have passed since the Abe administration announced the intention of strengthening women's participation in the labour market as part of a national growth strategy, there has been no increase in Japan. Rather, the ranking of Japan in the Global Gender Gap reports has declined year by year: 101st out of 145 in 2015, 111th out of 144 in 2016, and 114th out of 144 in 2017 (World Economic Forum, 2015; 2016; 2017). The Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace came into force in 2016 April to strengthen the Abe administration's growth strategy in relation to the female workforce. According to this law, companies which have over 301 employees, as well as central and local governments, are required to draw up and publish a "Plan" for promoting women employees into managerial positions and providing a supporting environment, with targeted numbers: the aim is to have 30% of female managers by 2020 (Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office, 2016: 28). However, there is a big gap between the aims announced by the government and the actual situation in Japan -although only two years have passed since this law came into force, hence its effects cannot yet be seen

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