Japanese companies are increasingly adopting cross-mentoring programs to develop future female corporate leaders, where potential female executives receive guidance from senior officials at other firms and gain insights into career development. Firms implementing these initiatives report that participating female employees have broadened their perspectives, while executives have also learned from them.
Japanese corporations have a low proportion of female executives promoted internally, with many appointments coming from outside the company.
In response, cross-mentoring programs are gaining traction. These initiatives pair potential female executives with senior officials from other companies, offering insights into career development. Companies that have introduced such programs state that female participants have gained wider perspectives, and executives have learned from the interactions.
Keywords associated with this trend include jobs and women's issues, with examples from firms like Teijin, Ricoh, Idemitsu Kosan, and Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance. Overall, these efforts aim to bolster internal development of female leaders in Japanese businesses.