On December 7, 2022, Public Lecture “Promoting Diversity Supports the Future of the Japanese Economy – From a Gender Perspective” was held.
The invited lecturer was Ms. Toshie Ikenaga, former Director General of the Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office and currently a part-time lecturer at the University, and the lecture was moderated by Professor Naoko Yuge of the School of Law.
The lecture was delivered in a high-flex format, both in person in the classroom and via online streaming, and was attended by 35 participants from inside and outside the university.
Ms. Ikenaga began her presentation by pointing out that one of the significances of promoting diversity is to encourage innovation.
She explained, citing specific examples, that diverse perspectives and ideas will increase as collective knowledge, resulting in the creation of new things that had not existed before in organizations and corporate activities.
At the same time, while mentioning that diversity also serves as a means of “risk avoidance,” she emphasized that diversity promotion contributes to the growth of both organizations and individuals, saying that it leads to the utilization of individual abilities from the perspective of demonstrating capabilities and improving productivity through work style reform, which in turn promotes dynamic corporate activities.
Ms. Ikenaga during her lecture
She added, “Gender equality and women’s activities are positioned as the core and symbol of diversity. If an organization cannot achieve even this, it will be difficult to realize any kind of diversity promotion.” She shared the current situation and problems regarding gender equality and made concrete proposals for improving them.
During the Q&A session that followed, Ms. Ikenaga politely answered each and every question asked both at the venue and online, and a lively discussion ensued.
