Interactions and intersections between institutional domains in shaping gender equality in Japan
| Interaction/intersection | Description | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Markets and government | Investor demand for gender equality aligns with government targets, encouraging companies to improve transparency in gender metrics. However, lack of policy enforcement limits the substantive impact of these drivers, leading companies to adopt superficial changes without fostering genuine cultural transformation (Iida, 2024; Kobayashi and Eweje, 2021; Nagase, 2024) | Reflects deeply rooted cultural resistance to enforcing gender equality norms; limited impact because of insufficient enforcement and alignment with societal expectations in Japan |
| Markets and families | Job structures within market domains often require long working hours, reinforcing family expectations where caregiving is primarily a woman’s role. This sustains gendered labour divisions, as women are more likely to pursue flexible or non-regular employment to balance family responsibilities (Kobayashi and Eweje, 2021; Nagase, 2024; Zhang-Zhang, 2024) | Market demands for long working hours align with traditional family expectations, reinforcing gender disparity as women adapt career choices around caregiving roles (deeply rooted cultural expectations) |
| Government and education | National policies incorporate gender equality into school curricula, aiming to promote awareness among students. However, the limited scope of these policies, combined with school culture, often fails to challenge deeply ingrained gender norms, thereby limiting the broader societal impact of such initiatives (Nagase, 2024; Yamaguchi, 2019; Zhang-Zhang, 2024) | In spite of government policies promoting gender awareness, educational institutions indirectly reinforce traditional gender roles, aligning with societal expectations (deeply rooted cultural expectations) |
| Families and education | Family expectations often intersect with educational guidance, reinforcing traditional career paths for girls. Schools sometimes subtly encourage career paths that align with societal norms, steering female students away from high-earning fields and into traditionally female-dominated sectors (Yoshikawa et al., 2018; Yamaguchi, 2019; Zhang-Zhang, 2024) | Families and educational institutions mutually reinforce traditional career paths, as family norms and school guidance often align, deterring girls from non-traditional fields. Reflects a socialisation process shaped by societal norms |
| Government and families | Tax incentives and social policies often reinforce traditional family structures by encouraging women to limit their paid work. These policies, although aimed at economic stability, intersect with family expectations to constrain women’s workforce participation and career progression (Nagase, 2024; Iida, 2024; Zhang-Zhang, 2024) | Government policies inadvertently support traditional family roles, where financial incentives align with societal expectations, limiting women’s economic roles outside the home (deeply rooted cultural expectations) |
| Interaction/intersection | Description | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Markets and government | Investor demand for gender equality aligns with government targets, encouraging companies to improve transparency in gender metrics. However, lack of policy enforcement limits the substantive impact of these drivers, leading companies to adopt superficial changes without fostering genuine cultural transformation ( | Reflects deeply rooted cultural resistance to enforcing gender equality norms; limited impact because of insufficient enforcement and alignment with societal expectations in Japan |
| Markets and families | Job structures within market domains often require long working hours, reinforcing family expectations where caregiving is primarily a woman’s role. This sustains gendered labour divisions, as women are more likely to pursue flexible or non-regular employment to balance family responsibilities ( | Market demands for long working hours align with traditional family expectations, reinforcing gender disparity as women adapt career choices around caregiving roles (deeply rooted cultural expectations) |
| Government and education | National policies incorporate gender equality into school curricula, aiming to promote awareness among students. However, the limited scope of these policies, combined with school culture, often fails to challenge deeply ingrained gender norms, thereby limiting the broader societal impact of such initiatives ( | In spite of government policies promoting gender awareness, educational institutions indirectly reinforce traditional gender roles, aligning with societal expectations (deeply rooted cultural expectations) |
| Families and education | Family expectations often intersect with educational guidance, reinforcing traditional career paths for girls. Schools sometimes subtly encourage career paths that align with societal norms, steering female students away from high-earning fields and into traditionally female-dominated sectors ( | Families and educational institutions mutually reinforce traditional career paths, as family norms and school guidance often align, deterring girls from non-traditional fields. Reflects a socialisation process shaped by societal norms |
| Government and families | Tax incentives and social policies often reinforce traditional family structures by encouraging women to limit their paid work. These policies, although aimed at economic stability, intersect with family expectations to constrain women’s workforce participation and career progression ( | Government policies inadvertently support traditional family roles, where financial incentives align with societal expectations, limiting women’s economic roles outside the home (deeply rooted cultural expectations) |
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