Kirin, Nissan aim to close gender gap by keeping women on career paths

Lack of women in management comes into focus as Japan sinks in gender parity

Kirin Holdings hopes to make it easier for women to climb the corporate career ladder by holding work shops and other training. (Photo courtesy of Kirin Holdings)

NATSUKO NAKAMURA, Nikkei senior staff writer

July 3, 2023 01:49 JST

TOKYO -- As corporate Japan continues to lag behind overseas peers in promoting women to management positions, some top businesses, such as Nissan Motor and Kirin Holdings, have begun taking steps to retain women by helping chart career paths.

Kirin has in place a fast-track career development program that puts women in charge of several tasks and projects during the first decade of their professional life. The aim is to allow them to set career goals and prevent them from quitting before they reach their 30s.