Tsukiko Tsukahara, consultant: “Inclusive and diverse companies are more innovative and competitive”

Tsukiko Tsukahara (Tokyo, 51 years old) is committed to feminism and the LGTBI+ community. Since Kaleidist, a consultancy he founded in 2018 Tsukahara, who is currently chairing the organization, helps companies, governments and organizations create more inclusive and diverse work environments. “Many corporations don’t fully understand why it is important for their business,” he explains from his well-kept, modern office in Tokyo, in the Minato district, where many companies’ headquarters are concentrated. Tsukahara also collaborates with Catalyst, an NGO focused on improving women’s working conditions; and is one of the Japanese representatives in the G-20 Empower, the international private sector alliance to promote the presence of women in leadership positions.

P. Japan is at the bottom of the list in terms of equality. It currently ranks 125th out of 146 countries.according to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Gender Gap Report.

R. The gap between men and women is wide, with a very low female presence in politics or economics. We have never had a female prime minister, nor one at the head of ministries. hard, such as Finance; and the representation of women in government bodies is less than 10% in the House of Representatives [la Cámara Baja]which rises to 27% in the Advisors’ group [la Alta]. We now have five female ministers in the Government [de un total de 16 miembros] and it can be seen as an achievement. All of this perpetuates the low political participation of women.

P. Less than a year ago, there were only two women in the Cabinet.

R. And if we go down the ladder it is even worse: there are no female deputy ministers. It is somewhat paradoxical that the Executive forces companies to develop an equality plan and that within the government there is no cross-cutting policy.

P. Could we call it feminist posturing?

R. I want to think that there is a commitment [político]. Our Government has many projects [relacionados con la igualdad]. However, I miss a general, systemic approach. The government is very concerned about the gender pay gap, but there is much more to it. All of this makes it difficult to get to the heart of the problem.

P. Decades ago, you worked for the Government, what do you remember?

R. I was in the Ministry of Transport when I was about 30 years old. I was not that aware of inequality back then. There were about ten women in the team and I was the youngest. Almost every day, some man from the ministry, with a higher rank and age than I held, would ask me to go out for a drink. As a newcomer, it was not always easy to say no. If I did say yes, I would then have to go back to the office late, at 10:30 or 11:00 p.m., to finish my work. It is a type of experience that I would not recommend to anyone. Later, I worked in a much more inclusive and diverse international company, at Boston Consulting Group. These contrasts led me to reflect on gender inequality and end up dedicating myself to it.

P. Has the situation changed in your country?

R. In 2016, a law was launched to promote female empowerment, which has forced companies with more than 300 employees to develop an equality plan. As they are quite compliant, more than 95% have done so. It is progress, but I think they do not do it from the heart, they do not internalize it.

P. Could the lack of progress in equality be linked to the lack of social and protest mobilization in Japan?

R. MeToo and the LGBT+ struggle are good examples of social mobilisations that are making progress. But social movements don’t have much of a tradition in Japan, we are not a mobilised society.

P. Both feminism and the LGTBI+ community fight against sexism. Do both struggles go hand in hand?

R. Gender equality and LGBTI+ rights can be addressed together. In the world we are, more or less, half men and half women. But in Japan, women are still a minority in many work environments. Thus, when diversity at work is discussed, the focus is often reduced to empowering women. However, the reality is more complex if we also include ethnicities, orientations or identities. Trans, lesbian, non-binary, gay people… All people should have the same opportunities in employment, education, and, in general, development in society.

P. Homophobia is still noticeable in Japan, but it affects lesbians much more.

R. They suffer double discrimination: as women and as homosexuals, just like gays. In my country, male homosexuality has been mocked; female homosexuality, not. Not mentioned at all, as if it didn’t exist. It is easier to change the perception of a reality that is known than of another that is not mentioned, that has been silenced. On the other hand, in Japan lesbians and gays are often not visible, depending on whether their lives are developed in more or less tolerant work, family or social environments. This concealment encourages homophobia, even if it is there, not to be evident. Recently, a law relative to sexual minorities has been approved, but unfortunately it does not provide sufficient coverage.

P. What business opportunities do feminism and diversity offer?

R. A corporation that focuses on only one part of its workforce leaves out a lot of talent. On the other hand, employee engagement and motivation are stronger, with optimal levels of happiness and recognition. Inclusive and diverse corporations are more innovative and competitive.

P. It is part of the G-20 EmpowerWhat work do you do?

R. The initiative was established to promote women’s participation in decision-making in the private sector, in partnership with governments. I represent the private sector in Japan. It all started in 2019, when my country chaired the G-20. [el foro económico] already proposed by Canada. It was launched a year later under the presidency of Saudi Arabia.

P. What a presentation: we are not talking about the most feminist country in the world.

R. Women were recently allowed to drive in the country. I think the situation has changed, at least a little.

P. There is a Ministry of Equality in Spain. Would it be helpful to establish a similar one in your country?

R. In Japan, equality is addressed by a sub-delegation under the Cabinet Office. [cuya cabeza es el primer ministro y que gestiona el día a día del Ejecutivo]. It seems like a high level, but it doesn’t have much direct action capacity. The scheme is a bit weak.

P. Will Japan improve its equality in the coming years?

R. I am an optimistic person, but with respect to equality [en Japón] Not so much. Although Spain and Japan may have been societies with high and similar levels of machismo in the past, unfortunately in my country gender inequality is deeply rooted and permeates all facets of life. I am not very much in favour of quotas in the private sector, however, I would apply them at a political level: in electoral lists and governments. Inequality must be tackled at its root, from its primary causes. Dealing with superficial issues is not enough.

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Tsukiko Tsukahara (Tokyo, 51 years old) is committed to feminism and the LGTBI+ community. Since Kaleidist, a consultancy he founded in 2018 Tsukahara, who is currently chairing the organization, helps companies, governments and organizations create more inclusive and diverse work environments. “Many corporations don’t fully understand why it is important for their business,” he explains from his well-kept, modern office in Tokyo, in the Minato district, where many companies’ headquarters are concentrated. Tsukahara also collaborates with Catalyst, an NGO focused on improving women’s working conditions; and is one of the Japanese representatives in the G-20 Empower, the international private sector alliance to promote the presence of women in leadership positions.

P. Japan is at the bottom of the list in terms of equality. It currently ranks 125th out of 146 countries.according to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Gender Gap Report.

R. The gap between men and women is wide, with a very low female presence in politics or economics. We have never had a female prime minister, nor one at the head of ministries. hard, such as Finance; and the representation of women in government bodies is less than 10% in the House of Representatives [la Cámara Baja]which rises to 27% in the Advisors’ group [la Alta]. We now have five female ministers in the Government [de un total de 16 miembros] and it can be seen as an achievement. All of this perpetuates the low political participation of women.

P. Less than a year ago, there were only two women in the Cabinet.

R. And if we go down the ladder it is even worse: there are no female deputy ministers. It is somewhat paradoxical that the Executive forces companies to develop an equality plan and that within the government there is no cross-cutting policy.

P. Could we call it feminist posturing?

R. I want to think that there is a commitment [político]. Our Government has many projects [relacionados con la igualdad]. However, I miss a general, systemic approach. The government is very concerned about the gender pay gap, but there is much more to it. All of this makes it difficult to get to the heart of the problem.

P. Decades ago, you worked for the Government, what do you remember?

R. I was in the Ministry of Transport when I was about 30 years old. I was not that aware of inequality back then. There were about ten women in the team and I was the youngest. Almost every day, some man from the ministry, with a higher rank and age than I held, would ask me to go out for a drink. As a newcomer, it was not always easy to say no. If I did say yes, I would then have to go back to the office late, at 10:30 or 11:00 p.m., to finish my work. It is a type of experience that I would not recommend to anyone. Later, I worked in a much more inclusive and diverse international company, at Boston Consulting Group. These contrasts led me to reflect on gender inequality and end up dedicating myself to it.

P. Has the situation changed in your country?

R. In 2016, a law was launched to promote female empowerment, which has forced companies with more than 300 employees to develop an equality plan. As they are quite compliant, more than 95% have done so. It is progress, but I think they do not do it from the heart, they do not internalize it.

P. Could the lack of progress in equality be linked to the lack of social and protest mobilization in Japan?

R. MeToo and the LGBT+ struggle are good examples of social mobilisations that are making progress. But social movements don’t have much of a tradition in Japan, we are not a mobilised society.

P. Both feminism and the LGTBI+ community fight against sexism. Do both struggles go hand in hand?

R. Gender equality and LGBTI+ rights can be addressed together. In the world we are, more or less, half men and half women. But in Japan, women are still a minority in many work environments. Thus, when diversity at work is discussed, the focus is often reduced to empowering women. However, the reality is more complex if we also include ethnicities, orientations or identities. Trans, lesbian, non-binary, gay people… All people should have the same opportunities in employment, education, and, in general, development in society.

P. Homophobia is still noticeable in Japan, but it affects lesbians much more.

R. They suffer double discrimination: as women and as homosexuals, just like gays. In my country, male homosexuality has been mocked; female homosexuality, not. Not mentioned at all, as if it didn’t exist. It is easier to change the perception of a reality that is known than of another that is not mentioned, that has been silenced. On the other hand, in Japan lesbians and gays are often not visible, depending on whether their lives are developed in more or less tolerant work, family or social environments. This concealment encourages homophobia, even if it is there, not to be evident. Recently, a law relative to sexual minorities has been approved, but unfortunately it does not provide sufficient coverage.

P. What business opportunities do feminism and diversity offer?

R. A corporation that focuses on only one part of its workforce leaves out a lot of talent. On the other hand, employee engagement and motivation are stronger, with optimal levels of happiness and recognition. Inclusive and diverse corporations are more innovative and competitive.

P. It is part of the G-20 EmpowerWhat work do you do?

R. The initiative was established to promote women’s participation in decision-making in the private sector, in partnership with governments. I represent the private sector in Japan. It all started in 2019, when my country chaired the G-20. [el foro económico] already proposed by Canada. It was launched a year later under the presidency of Saudi Arabia.

P. What a presentation: we are not talking about the most feminist country in the world.

R. Women were recently allowed to drive in the country. I think the situation has changed, at least a little.

P. There is a Ministry of Equality in Spain. Would it be helpful to establish a similar one in your country?

R. In Japan, equality is addressed by a sub-delegation under the Cabinet Office. [cuya cabeza es el primer ministro y que gestiona el día a día del Ejecutivo]. It seems like a high level, but it doesn’t have much direct action capacity. The scheme is a bit weak.

P. Will Japan improve its equality in the coming years?

R. I am an optimistic person, but with respect to equality [en Japón] Not so much. Although Spain and Japan may have been societies with high and similar levels of machismo in the past, unfortunately in my country gender inequality is deeply rooted and permeates all facets of life. I am not very much in favour of quotas in the private sector, however, I would apply them at a political level: in electoral lists and governments. Inequality must be tackled at its root, from its primary causes. Dealing with superficial issues is not enough.

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