An aging population and a low birth rate has left Japanses firms worried enough about facing the possibility of scarcity of young workers, so much so, that many companies are now preferring to hire married women.
Toshiba, the major general electric manufacturer, has decided to increase the number of managing positions for female workers.
And, to facilitate women employees who have children, Toshiba has been providing nursery facilities within its campus.
Chie Shoda, who works in the hard disk production division in Toshiba, drops her son to 'Kirame-kids Yokohama', a nursery school in Toshiba's Yokohama branch.
She is happy that the company has put in a lot of effort to make work easier for employees like her.
Shoda said: "It makes me feel at ease, just knowing that my child is in the same building, makes me feel closer to him even if we are apart. Bringing a child to work, people can be together the whole way to the office in the train. Even this time is a great joy of every mother."
The company is also opening nursery schools in its other branches to help working mothers.
"With the globalization of business, we cannot stick to hiring only men. People of different gender and origin add to the success of a company," said Kaoru Nishida of the Toshiba Corporation Diversity Development Division.
The rise in the number of working women in Japan is an advantage for JCB, the country's biggest credit card company.
It launched 'Linda Card', the first credit card for women in 2002, with no annual fee.
Users can also get services like information about recent beauty and health products, information on diets, cuisine and fashion.
"In 2009, consumer spending changed and women started spending more money compared to men. The situation has changed so; we developed the new Linda Card," said Aya Mizusako, Supervisor, Issuing Business Promotion Department, JCB Co. Ltd.
The Linda card is largely used by female workers.
Representatives from JCB visit and giving presentations at companies like All Nippon Airlines to woo new customers.
Such initiatives will give a boost to Japan's economic growth and development.
