About RIWAC

Greetings

Satoko Shinohara, President of Japan Women’s University

Founder of Japan Women’s University, Jinzo Naruse, believed a university, as part of its mission, would not only provide women with an education; but also contributed to society as a whole. Japan Women’s University has produced many researchers, educators and graduates who have played influential roles in business and society. However, still now, it is not easy for women to build their desired careers in Japanese society. Research Institute for Women and Careers was established to help women build fulfilling careers. And this institute plays a major role in Japan Women’s University realizing Jinzo Naruse’s mission.

Akiko Nagai, Director of Research Institute for Women and Careers

I am Akiko Nagai, a professor in the Department of Social Welfare at the Faculty of Human Sociology, and I have been appointed as the fourth director. The Institute has conducted in-depth, interdisciplinary research on women’s paths and life courses from multiple perspectives and has disseminated a great deal of information. I myself specialize in family sociology, and since the Institute’s establishment in 2008, I have sympathized with its aims and participated in various activities.

We realize that society has changed during this period. Career does not only apply to one’s occupation, but also to one’s life in general, including one’s family. Changes in the labor market have changed the path to schooling, vocational education, and employment, and increased the need for retraining for entry into the profession or for re-employment. The environment surrounding families is also changing, and families are becoming more diverse in terms of whether they form a family or not, and the type of family life they lead. The kinds of experiences we have in life can no longer be categorized into a few patterns.
Amid these changes, women’s choices are also changing. Have opportunities opened up for women? Under what conditions do women continue to be disadvantaged? What is needed to help women cut through their difficult situations and for people to live happily ever after? The Institute will further disseminate information from the perspective of careers based on the survey. We would appreciate your continued understanding and support.