Women in Tech in Japan: What's the Situation?

Be it in tech or science, the influence of women on our development as humans is undeniable.

After all, there’s no imagining where software and computer programming would be without the contributions of women like Grace Hopper, Ada Lovelace, and Margaret Hamilton, to name just a few.

Sadly, women have also historically faced systemic oppression, meaning that women haven’t been provided with the same opportunities that their male counterparts had. In many cases, this caused many accomplished females in history to be unfairly cast into the background, and their contributions to some of the biggest innovations and scientific discoveries are often overshadowed by men.

Luckily, things have been changing around the world, and there is a bigger movement as a society to think deeper about workplace and gender equality.

Nowadays, female leaders are becoming more visible across many fields, including in the tech industry. However, Japan still has a lot of room for improvement in this area.

That's why in this post, I’ll talk about the significance of the increasing number of women in STEM fields in Japan, and explore the employment landscape in Japan for women.

Women in Japan’s Labor Force: An Overview

When it comes to deficiencies in the labor force, Japan has many obstacles to overcome.

A steady decline in the working population that’s been limiting the available workforce in the country for years would be enough to make any economy tumble. At the same time, the country has also seen an economic crisis so severe that it lasted over a decade, which is now called the lost 20 years.

Still, Japan has been going strong. Partially thanks to Abenomics, unofficially named after the previous Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, the country has made quite a stride, achieving commendable per capita gross domestic product that competes with larger forces like the US.

To achieve this, the prime minister has pushed for more fiscal flexibility and an overall reform in the country’s economic structure, which seems to have succeeded, as Japan quite literally had the second-largest GDP growth among all G7 countries between 2012 and 2019, according to the IMF.

While “Abenomics” gained public attention, however, perhaps the biggest factor that contributed to this success came from an increase in the female workforce in the country. In a strategic report published by Goldman Sachs titled “Womenomics”, created by Tokyo-based strategists Kathy Matsui, Hiromi Suzuki, and Yoko Ushio, it was argued that increasing the female labor participation rate would also raise Japan’s GDP growth. This shift towards recognizing the power of including females in the national economy was eventually adopted in Abe’s policies, making it a huge step towards overall gender equality and economic growth.

Additionally, going back to the workplace after giving birth has become a little bit easier for women, thanks to the improved laws regarding fathers’ participation in childcare and encouragement to take up more responsibility with concepts like paternity leave and childcare leave for fathers.

This, as expected, has caused a significant jump in women in the workforce, with the 63% female participation rate going up to 74% from 2012 to 2022.

While this ten-year period saw many gains in social and economic growth through the active inclusion of women in the workforce, there is still much work to be done to balance out gender gaps in many fields across the board. So, Japan has since been working on strategies and regulations to increase the number of women in more specific fields, namely, tech.

Women in STEM in Japan: The Current Status

Japan’s tech industry has historically been lacking in terms of the inclusion of women. The fact that the female workforce hasn’t been prominent in Japan until recently is actually due to a larger problem encompassing all STEM fields. Let’s look at some numbers.

According to data obtained from Reuters, Japan is among the countries with the lowest rate of women studying in STEM fields such as engineering and construction. Currently, the data shows that only 16% of women university graduates in Japan have majored in science or technology-related disciplines, while the OECD average is 32%.

Currently, this number puts Japan behind many European countries, like Italy, the UK, Germany, France, and Poland, as well as The United States and South Korea.

More data from the IMF shows that only 7% of female university students in 2023 are majoring in STEM fields, which also demonstrates that the country is quite behind compared to most of the world’s biggest economies.

This is not to say that women are less interested in STEM compared to their male counterparts. These numbers could be a result of social conditioning and stereotypes that push women to lean more towards subjects like languages and art. While the exact reason for the imbalance of genders in the STEM field is not definitive, studies suggest that more work towards understanding the motivations of young women who display interest and skill in STEM subjects but end up not choosing it as a career path, needs to be done.

So, with these reports and statistics in mind, the Japanese government has been putting in the work to close the gap and increase the number of women working in STEM for some time now.

In fact, the consensus today seems to be that introducing more women into STEM fields is exactly what Japan’s economy needs, and it’s largely believed that Japan’s future depends on women. So, let’s see how things have been improving and what the future of women in STEM will look like in Japan.

The Future of Japan’s Tech Field for Women

Women may have been less prominent in Japan’s tech world, but this isn’t to say that things haven’t been improving. With a variety of new initiatives and regulations in store, the Japanese government is increasingly recognizing the vital role of women in advancing the country's technological progress.

In fact, when it comes to female developers in Japan specifically, according to Asia Nikkei, the ratio of women IT engineers (including software developers and system engineers) has been rising steadily since 2016, which was when the numbers were at an all-time low.

Smaller Wage Gap, Better Work Conditions in Tech

While the government’s effort has, without a doubt, helped more women to choose STEM fields, a better motivator might have something to do with the lack of pay gap that exists between the genders in this field.

Currently, STEM-related fields in Japan have the smallest wage gap between men and women, which leads more women to choose science as they naturally want to get paid what they’re worth.

What’s more, it’s also becoming easier to become a part of the workforce thanks to the popularity of remote work in the post-pandemic era. The same report from Nikkei Asia states that 74% of IT companies in Japan have opened up to remote hiring in 2022, which is the highest of all industries.

So, the ability to work remotely, the disappearing wage gap, and the government’s initiative seem to be supporting more women to work in STEM, and improving the visibility of the female workforce in Japan. Tech salaries in Japan are also becoming more transparent, making it easier for everyone to find a job that properly values their skillsets.

That being said, the country still needs improving in certain regards.

Remaining Challenges: STEM Education, Business Culture

The introduction of shared childcare leave, remote work, and the rise of family-friendly companies have helped women become more prominent players in STEM-related areas in Japan, but there are still some challenges remaining to be addressed.

For one, while encouraging companies to hire more women and providing better work conditions can be useful, these are only temporary solutions to a problem that’s deeply rooted in the country’s education system.

Even though the desired outcome is to have more women working in STEM fields, many educational institutions for women in Japan are still lacking in IT programs. In fact, many women's colleges in Japan don’t even offer IT courses at all. Asia Nikkei’s report states that in 2022, only 9% of IT graduates from Japan were women, while other major economies boast numbers above 20%.

Work/Life Balance, Talent-Based Hiring

Still, even with equal opportunities in education, Japan’s work culture could benefit from an overhaul. You can read about the challenges of the country’s business culture in my post on surviving the Japanese workplace, but the traditional workplace in Japan isn’t exactly ideal for those who want to enjoy life outside work. Of course, this has been changing slowly over the years, but some customs have stuck around. I talked about this in my post on work/life balance.

The traditional work culture in Japan is known to be extremely male-dominated, requiring long commutes and work hours, attending after-work drinks (nomikai) with coworkers, and going home at late hours only to return to work again early in the morning.

Nowadays, this daily routine is nearly impossible to achieve for both men and women.

For the more modern side of businesses in Japan, things are certainly much better. Tech companies such as the ones we feature on Japan Dev, for one, offer world-standard benefits and humane work conditions, but the traditional business world in Japan has different rules.

Thankfully, concepts like paternity leave have also been receiving more attention from both the government and the public, with new regulations being introduced to level out the playing field for men and women, but there’s still room for improvement.

For instance, currently, many companies that follow a more traditional style still hire less-than-qualified candidates for IT specialist positions on a “train-on-the-job” basis. This not only hurts the overall quality of IT specialists but can discourage women from choosing tech-related majors as well. After all, if Japan wants to raise more female specialists in tech, there needs to be a bigger emphasis on talent and skill-based hiring in the first place to incentivize them, which is something the country is still working on.

In the meantime, there are also non-governmental efforts that help improve work conditions for women and inspire them to work in STEM. Let’s have a look.

Non-Governmental Efforts: YAMADA Shintaro D&I Foundation

Founded by Shintaro Yamada, the founder of Japan’s first unicorn startup Mercari (a startup that’s valued at over 1 million USD), YAMADA Shintaro D&I Foundation is a nonprofit that aims to support women who choose science.

The D&I in the foundation’s title stands for Diversity and Inclusion respectively, which are the core values of the foundation. By promoting these values, the foundation aims to help realize a society where gender, age, and religion aren’t obstacles that prevent people from reaching their full potential.

Essentially, the organization provides scholarships to women who study in STEM, both at the high school and college level. Through these scholarships, YAMADA Shintaro D&I aims to reduce the gender gap in STEM fields in Japan and empower women to pursue a career in tech and science.

Additionally, the foundation also works with local high schools to organize career education programs that aim to educate people at a younger age.

Last but definitely not least, the foundation frequently releases annual reports on the current state of gender diversity in Japanese STEM fields, offering a data-driven look at both the challenges and the progress being made. Their 2023 report, for example, highlights a "supply-demand" gap in the workforce – while 64% of companies in Japan aim to increase their recruitment of women in STEM-related fields over the next five years, the actual percentage of female students in fields like mechanical engineering and architecture remains critically low at 15%.

These reports not only help raise awareness by making such issues more visible, but they also provide valuable data for more able bodies – such as the government – to act on or to utilize in drafting future regulations.

Japan’s Female-Led Tech Communities: From Women, For Women

Japan may have shown a slower improvement when it comes to the number of women in the workplace, especially in tech, but as mentioned, this has been improving in recent years.

The government’s efforts are notable, but one of the biggest influences for this improvement is, without a doubt, none other than women themselves.

As I mentioned previously in my post on tech communities in Tokyo, there are many communities for women in tech in Japan that help foster a collaborative environment. These communities not only help increase the visibility of women in tech but they also provide a supportive network to recruit even more female workforce to the industry.

So, as I conclude this post, I’d like to introduce some of these female-led communities in Japan that are continuing to pave the way and support women in tech.

Waffle

Waffle is a Japanese non-profit and women-led initiative that is working on closing the gender gap in IT and STEM fields. Their focus is on educating women to be empowered in the tech world, and they do so by offering online programming camps and communities, as well as a year-long college level coding program for beginners. They also regularly hold coding contests and other events for their community.

The group is led by Sayaka Tanaka, the CEO of Waffle, who recently joined the Human Capital Development Subcommittee of the Japan Growth Strategy Council, chaired by the Prime Minister of Japan. This council is one of the nation’s most important groups, as they are largely responsible for shaping policies that drive long-term economic growth in Japan. Sayaka Tanaka’s active participation in this Council shows that Japan’s leadership is becoming more attentive towards the topic of educating women in STEM fields, and it signals hope for change in the coming years.

Women in Agile Japan

Women in Agile in Japan is part of the global Women in Agile community, an organization that aims to train women as Agile Coaches.

The Japan chapter’s vision is to train 100 women as agile coaches. Their focus is to support diversity and inclusion, and to nurture leadership skills within the Agile framework and the broader tech community. It’s important to note that this organization is open to everyone regardless of their gender affirmation, especially those who support diversity and help promote respect within the community and workplace.

The Japan chapter holds annual conferences in Tokyo, and more recently in Osaka. The conferences are an opportunity for individuals to discuss and share experiences, network and learn from thought leaders within the agile community.

Additionally, they organize bimonthly roundtable discussions and study sessions, and they have regular book club meetups and other events.

Separate training is also available for those who want to learn more about Scrum and Agile frameworks. A background in IT is not required to receive training, and it’s also a great way for participants to exercise their leadership skills within a team environment.

Women in Software Engineering JP

Women in Software Engineering, or WiSE JP, is a volunteer-led community focused on empowering women and other underrepresented groups in software and technology careers in Japan.

Their mission is to support women in tech related roles so that they can continue to grow and succeed professionally in the tech industry. They work to promote diversity, inclusion, and career development for women and other minority communities in the tech world through various activities and community events.

For example, WiSE JP has held career talks, workshops, study sessions, and networking events for their community. They are also very active online and provide a Slack group for peer support and discussion. Through these events, both online and in-person, they are creating a space where members can connect, share knowledge, and learn from each other and other industry professionals.

The WiSE JP team has many international members as well, making it a great place to connect with English speakers working in the Japanese tech community!

Women in Technology Japan

Women in Technology Japan’s mission as a community is to empower women in Japan’s IT industry. The group uses both Japanese and English as its primary languages.

While it puts the female workforce in its focus, the community extends its invitation beyond cis-gendered women and is open to people of all ages, sexualities, genders, and backgrounds.

With over 700 members from various industries, Women in Technology Japan offers educational events in addition to providing a professional network and even has a blog that features the latest on women in the IT space.

Rails Girls Japan

Born in Finland as a nonprofit organization, Rails Girls is a global community that aims to provide women with the tools and knowledge to create their ideas using the Ruby on Rails framework. Rails Girls Japan is the local branch of the organization. The primary language of the community is Japanese.

Rails Girls is a group that is open to all, including beginners. As the aim is to learn by firsthand experience, all of the tools you need to get you started are provided on the website in multiple languages. All you need to do is follow the guides and join the events.

Although the frequency of the events fluctuates, Rails Girls Japan holds workshops and events regularly. Events are held in different cities all throughout Japan, and you can check out the group’s Doorkeeper page to be informed of upcoming ones.

Women in Science Japan

With events held both online and offline (in Tokyo), Women in Science Japan, or WISJ for short, is a nonprofit organization. The events are focused on networking and skill building, allowing participants to learn together as well as from each other through new connections.

The community’s events are held in English, and you’ll find a lot of expats as well as locals here.

This group is open to all and welcomes women as well as allies. It’s not just about tech, either. You’ll find participants from all types of STEM fields, such as software engineers or biologists, which makes for a uniquely diverse community.

In addition, WISJ also has a mentorship program where you can sign up to overcome distinct challenges as a woman in science with the help of a more experienced professional who’s willing to help.

WISJ organizes events rather infrequently, but there usually are several events throughout the year. You can check out their events page to be informed of the upcoming events.

Ladies That UX Tokyo

Originating in the UK, Ladies That UX Tokyo is the Tokyo chapter of the Manchester-based nonprofit organization. In fact, Tokyo is one of the 40 cities around the world where the group is currently active. This is another group that uses both English and Japanese as its primary language, making it foreigner-friendly.

Ladies That UX aims to promote and provide visibility for women who work in UX design, and there are monthly meetups where you can meet like-minded people in your field. While it’s a project created by women to empower women, participants of all genders are welcome, be it as speakers or attendees.

The events have been happening since 2015 with a monthly schedule, and you can check out the group’s Meetup page to learn more about any upcoming meetings and seminars.

Droid Girls

A deliciously original idea from Japan, Droid Girls organizes monthly “tasting” parties where they focus on a specific Android function or library and try it out. It should be noted, however, that this community’s events are held in Japanese only.

As you can tell, this is an Android-focused community, and they hold monthly events for women who are interested in Android development.

Whether you’re coding for a company, your personal business, or just as a hobby, Droid Girls welcomes all individuals who develop Android apps to come together and offer a piece of their wisdom or simply learn from others. You can find out about past Droid Girls events on their Connpass page.

AnitaB.org Tokyo

Founded by computer scientist Anita Borg in 1987, AnitaB.org today serves as a digital community for women who work in computer science. Present in over 80 countries around the world, the US-based nonprofit also has a Tokyo base.

The group’s primary languages are both English and Japanese, allowing for a diverse community. The meetup events are open to beginners as well as seasoned professionals, with seminars or coding sessions held frequently.

Django Girls Japan

Django Girls is another global community on the list, and Django Girls Japan is its local branch that aims to provide women with opportunities to get involved with coding. The group’s events are held primarily in Japanese.

This nonprofit organization was originally started in Berlin, Germany, in 2014, and can be seen all over the world. They don’t just organize events, but provide members with all the resources they may need to get started as well, with guides and tutorials available in multiple languages.

Django Girls also has a community in Japan. In addition to one-day workshops, the group also holds monthly study sessions where participants can learn more from mentors, and take a deeper dive into Python and Django.

The best thing about this group is that complete beginners are welcome. Everyone can learn something at Django Girls Japan events, and you can check out their Connpass page to learn more about the group.

EdTechWomen (ETW) Tokyo

EdTechWomen (ETW) is a New York-based networking community for women that aims to support the leadership of women in the Ed-Tech (education technologies) industry.

Despite being a part of a global community, the events held by EdTechWomen are primarily in Japanese.

The global organization is now active all over the world and was launched in Tokyo in 2016 as well. Since then, it has been providing a community for women who work in education technologies in Japan, and welcoming people from various backgrounds, ranging from school staff to IT professionals, allowing for a truly diverse environment.

You can check out their website for more information, and also check out their Japanese blog, ETW Voice, to get a glimpse of Japan’s Ed-Tech scene.

AITC女子会

AITC is short for Advanced IT Utilization Promotion Consortium, and it’s an organization that aims to utilize cutting-edge IT companies in developing cutting-edge IT experts. AITCH Women’s Group is the women’s program of the organization and targets women working in all fields related to IT regardless of their position.

While the group’s main focus is to create a platform where like-minded people can meet and network, they have also been organizing seminars and workshops since the group’s inception in 2015.

With monthly meetups, the group has been going strong until 2021, but has paused their events since then. To be informed when the events pick back up, make sure to follow the group’s Connpass page.

While this is it for our selection of women-focused communities, you can check out my post where I introduced a variety of Tokyo meetups to find even more.