2025 Kansai D&I Summit
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is a noble cause. Over the past decade, many positive changes have been achieved, but there is still a long way to go on the journey to true D&I. But good intentions don’t always guarantee good results. How do we get D&I back on track?
If You Build It, They Will Come
MGM’s Osaka integrated resort project, to be built adjacent to the Expo 2025 site, will be a catalyst for international hires and could spur change in immigration policy.
United to Inspire Inclusion
On its 10th anniversary, the Kansai D&I Summit emphasized the importance of unity and collaboration in driving meaningful change.
Individual Matters
Offices in Japan have seen a revolution over the past two years or so, with the pandemic having ushered in the need for remote work. as living with Covid-19 has become standard, many businesses have back-pedaled or adapted their approach as they navigate a return to the office. Others have come to see the new normal as an opportunity to reflect on where, when, and how employees work, to foster greater productivity, and expand their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
A Culture of Inclusion
Shaping workplace culture and inclusion. Leading the change. These are the themes of the 2022 ACCJ-Kansai Diversity and Inclusion Summit, which will again follow the format of three two-hour online sessions, to be held over successive weeks in October and November.
Bridge the Gap
Tamao Sasada, Japan country executive for Bank of America and president of BofA Securities Japan, sits down with The ACCJ Journal to share her thoughts on a number of topics, including how Japan can push the DEI and ESG agendas forward.
Supplier D&I
While there is much talk in Japan about diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace, another important, though less-discussed, aspect of D&I involves suppliers. Some major companies have long championed diversity in their supply chains, but the issue is now getting more attention—and progress is being made—thanks to the efforts of socially conscious leaders. This was the topic of a November 25 virtual event, hosted by the ACCJ-Chubu Programs Committee and entitled Supplier D&I: Three-Year Journey in the Japanese Market.
D&I Hiring in Healthcare
It has been two decades since the Japanese government set its target of having women in 30 percent of management positions by 2020. The country has fallen far short of that goal, which the government has pushed off to 2030. Titan Consulting K.K. Business Development Manager Sophia Plessier certainly noticed the imbalance on her arrival in Japan. Coming from San Francisco, where discussion of diversity and inclusion (D&I) and support for women in business are a part of everyday life, she found it striking how few Japanese companies were promoting these important issues.
Hidden Treasure
The Japanese government calls it a “digital cliff”—a projected shortfall of 450,000 engineers, programmers, and other tech workers needed by 2030 to undertake the country’s digital transformation. Harnessing the largely untapped potential of Japanese women—who are drastically underrepresented in science, engineering, and computer programming jobs and college degrees—could help narrow that gap.
ACCJ Kansai D&I Summit
The 7th Annual ACCJ Kansai Diversity & Inclusion Summit took place over the course of three days—October 4, 13, and 21—in a new series format that delivered a blend of inspiration and practical information sharing. With a focus on diversity-and-inclusion (D&I) initiatives, as well as equality in the workplace, the series featured keynote and plenary speakers, a fireside chat, training sessions, and remote networking.
Tipping Point for Change
Over the past decade, Japan has gone from less than one percent of directors at Japanese companies being female to about 10 percent at many of the larger organizations. How Japanese companies might be encouraged to overcome their apparent reluctance to welcome women into their boardrooms was the topic of a November 15, 2021, ACCJ virtual event, entitled Injecting Diversity through Outside Directors.