Tokyo University to up ratio of female teachers to 25% from 16%

TOKYO -- The University of Tokyo, Japan's top university, will hire another 306 female professors and associate professors by 2027, Nikkei has learned, to catch up with foreign rivals in employing a more diverse staff.

The university aims to push up the ratio of female teachers to 25% in six years from the current 16% through creating new jobs and targeting women in recruitment. It is rare for Japanese universities to set such a concrete target. The university hopes to increase diversity within the campus and, in doing so, enhance the quality of education and research.