August 22, 2014(Mainichi Japan)
Editorial: Implement new steps to boost ratio of women in managerial posts
社説:女性管理職６．６％　異次元の対策が必要だ

Achieving the government's goal of increasing the ratio of women to those in managerial positions to 30 percent by 2020 appears to be extremely difficult, as was shown by a government survey.
はなはだしく道険し、である。

The results of a survey released by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry shows that women accounted for only 6.6 percent of those in managerial posts at the division chief-level and above in fiscal 2013.
厚生労働省が発表した２０１３年度雇用均等基本調査によると、管理職（課長相当職以上）に占める女性の比率は６．６％にとどまった。

There is no sign of an improvement in the situation.
３０％とした政府目標の達成期限（２０年）が間近だというのに、隔たりは大きいままだ。

One cannot help but wonder whether efforts to address the issue should be left to the discretion of individual companies. Since the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe places top priority on encouraging women to play an active role in society among its policy measures, it should work out an unprecedentedly bold action plan that is not bound by a traditional mindset.
しかも、後退こそあれ、改善はほとんど見られない。このまま、企業の自助努力に任せていてよいだろうか。女性の活躍を最重要政策の一つに掲げる安倍政権である。従来の発想から抜け出た「異次元」の行動計画がここにこそ必要だろう。

It is globally infamous that Japan lags behind many other countries in women's advancement in society.
不名誉なことだが、日本における女性の社会進出の遅れは、世界的に有名だ。

A report issued by the U.S. Congress features measures Japan has taken to encourage women to assume important positions in society as part of "Abenomics," an economic policy mix promoted by the Abe administration. The report also shed light on specific problems that have blocked women from participating in Japanese society in the economic and political fields.
最近では米議会の調査報告書がアベノミクスと女性政策を取り上げ、経済、政治分野で女性の参加が進まない問題に焦点を当てた。

Are there any changes in Japanese companies' awareness of the roles that women should play?
では、当事者である日本の企業に意識の変化は見られるだろうか。

Only about 20 percent of the companies surveyed by the ministry answered that they have taken positive action to eliminate the gap in job opportunities between men and women, declining from the last two years when the ratio was over 30 percent.
厚労省調査では、格差の解消を目指した積極的な取り組み（ポジティブ・アクション）を行っていると回答した企業の割合が約２０％しかない。３０％を超えていた過去２年よりかえって悪化した。

What is worse, 63 percent of the companies responded that they have no intention of taking any specific measures to that end, as compared with 54 percent in fiscal 2012.
逆に「今のところ取り組む予定はない」の回答が１２年度の５４％から６３％に増えている。

Moreover, reasons cited by surveyed companies for not making any effort to narrow the gap between men and women would certainly stun the public.
さらに、取り組まない理由にあぜんとさせられる。

Some companies said they are developing human resources regardless of their gender, some other businesses replied that women are already playing an active role in their organizations, while others answered that there are too few women in their workplaces.
「男女にかかわりなく人材を育成しているから」「すでに女性は十分活躍しているから」「女性が少ない、あるいは全くいないから」−−。

These answers suggest that the companies do not view the current situation as problematic.
現状を特段、問題視していない姿が透けて見える。

Many employers claim that they have difficulties finding women with the required ability and experience although they are willing to appoint women to important positions, a reason cited by the largest number of surveyed companies as to why they do not actively appoint female employees to managerial posts.
一方、女性を起用するにやぶさかではないが、能力や経験を伴った人材がいない、というのも女性管理職が少ない理由としてよく耳にする。

The survey results have raised questions as to whether companies are truly enthusiastic about recruiting hidden talent and whether male managers truly have enough expertise or experience.
厚労省の調査でもこれがトップだった。しかし、企業は本気になって、人材を発掘しようとしているだろうか。男性の管理職は能力や経験が伴った人ばかりなのだろうか。

While the government is seeking to enact new legislation to encourage companies to take action to hire and appoint women to important posts, the business world has taken the stance that efforts toward that end should be left to the discretion of each individual company.
政府は新法を作って、企業に積極的な行動を促そうとしているが、「経営の自主性に任せてほしい」というのが経済界の基本姿勢である。

However, it would be too optimistic to expect employers who have even failed to grasp the situation of their own companies to spontaneously try to appoint women to managerial positions.
だが、現状をさほど問題と認識していない、あるいは自社の実態を把握すらしていない経営者の自主性に期待するのは楽観的過ぎというものだ。

Many business operators argue that a radical system like one in Norway, under which companies that fail to appoint women to at least 40 percent of their executive positions must be disbanded, does not fit in with Japanese culture.
役員の４割以上を女性にしない企業は最終的に解散処分となるノルウェーのような急進的制度は日本の文化になじまない。

If the business world sticks to its opposition to making it mandatory to ensure women account for a certain percentage of board members or managers, companies should take unprecedentedly bold measures to demonstrate that they are truly enthusiastic about promoting women to key positions.
そんな声が多い。義務化に反対するのなら、企業は、前例のない大胆な行動で本気度を証明すべきだ。

The chairman and 18 vice chairmen of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) are all men.
ちなみに、経団連の会長と副会長１８人は全員が男性である。

Japan's largest business organization has never appointed women to any of these top positions.
女性の就任は一度もない。

Keidanren should appoint women to high-ranking posts, such as chairman and vice chairmen, as a symbolic example of the business world's efforts to appoint women to key posts.
象徴的な例として、正副会長や委員長ポストに女性を起用する計画を示してはどうか。

毎日新聞　2014年08月22日　02時31分