Japan's "Womenomics"

[Mulboyne]

Bloomberg: `Womenomics' Good for Japan and Investors

In August 1999, Kathy Matsui [wife of Jesper Koll] raised many a male eyebrow in Japan with a report on how the future of the No.2 economy was in women's hands. Goldman Sachs (Japan) Ltd.'s chief strategist called the phenomenon "womenomics." Yet six years on, Matsui senses some promising cracks in Japan's glass ceiling, especially now with the economy on the mend. "While much more progress still needs to be made at both the public and private sector levels to foster greater female labor participation, we believe Japan is finally moving in the right direction," Matsui says...more...

FG Thread: Loan sharks go after girls
FG Thread: Daiei to Get Japan's First Senior Female Exec

[gkanai]

[gkanai]

[Captain Japan]

This article is so, so misleading...
Japanese companies embrace diversity
IHT

TOKYO: In the middle of 2006, Nissan Motor's auto development division summoned a team of 10 women to develop a small car that would appeal to female buyers. The team, made up of designers, product planners and advertising and marketing staff and ranging in age from their 20s to their 30s, came up with the Pino, a minicar to be produced in pastel colors and with a wide array of options, like cushions and special ashtrays, that it felt young women would want.

When the Pino was introduced in January, Nissan was hoping to sell 2,600 vehicles during the first month and beyond. It got 5,500 orders during the first month and has sold steadily above target ever since.

"You are able to make good products by letting women participate in all aspects of the business process," said Yukiko Yoshimaru, general manager of the diversity development office at Nissan. "That way, we can meet the customers' needs satisfactorily."

That Nissan even has a diversity officer may sound startling to those who are used to thinking of Japanese companies as dominated by men, and Japanese men at that. But the automaker has made visible progress on the diversity front under a management team that includes Carlos Ghosn and other French executives from Renault. Aside from bringing in foreign managers from overseas, it has increased the proportion of women in managerial ranks to 4 percent from 1.6 percent three years ago....more...

[GomiGirl]

Now if they would only let women and/or people who cook be involved in the design of kitchens in large apartment blocks???? Most kitchens that I see are obviously designed by somebody who has never used one.

[Charles]

Now if they would only let women and/or people who cook be involved in the design of kitchens in large apartment blocks???? Most kitchens that I see are obviously designed by somebody who has never used one.

Kitchens are not for cooking. I read an interesting essay in some book somewhere, that describes the history of the Japanese kitchen. It asserts that kitchens are designed to give the impression of a modern lifestyle, which has little to do with function and much to do with appearance. Of course this essay was written by some college professor who probably had little long-term exposure to actual Japanese living conditions.

[GomiGirl]

Kitchens are not for cooking. I read an interesting essay in some book somewhere, that describes the history of the Japanese kitchen. It asserts that kitchens are designed to give the impression of a modern lifestyle, which has little to do with function and much to do with appearance. Of course this essay was written by some college professor who probably had little long-term exposure to actual Japanese living conditions.

and probably never cooks!!!

Not that I cook that often anyway - ah the joys of living with a chef. I am more of a baker and umeshu mixer. But have you ever tried to knead bread on the side of a sink?? Not good!!

[Captain Japan]

My kitchen doesn't have an electrical outlet - not one. So I ran an extension cable out of an overhead light socket along the ceiling to the wall and dangled it straight down so I could plug in a rice cooker, toaster, water pot, etc. Land of technology, my fucking ass.

[Charles]

My kitchen doesn't have an electrical outlet - not one. So I ran an extension cable out of an overhead light socket along the ceiling to the wall and dangled it straight down so I could plug in a rice cooker, toaster, water pot, etc. Land of technology, my fucking ass.

Well of course it doesn't have an electrical outlet. The ki might leak out of the socket and down into the sink, causing an explosion.

[GomiGirl]

My kitchen doesn't have an electrical outlet - not one. So I ran an extension cable out of an overhead light socket along the ceiling to the wall and dangled it straight down so I could plug in a rice cooker, toaster, water pot, etc. Land of technology, my fucking ass.

We only have 2 but they are in a really bad spot!! Two outlets are supposed to run a microwave, rice cooker, coffee maker etc etc? We have a power board that allows us the right number of outlets but still I am guessing that lots of people use double adapters that are unsafe.

[ichigo partygirl]

My old aparto had only one outlet that i could use a double plug on, if i used a multiboard all the appliances overwhelmed supply and cut out the power....grr how many times i had to go round in dark with cellphone light...