TOKYO - Just 26 percent of female employees in the Japanese news media industry say that their workplace is gender equal, compared to 40.7 of male respondents saying the same, results from a recent survey showed.
The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association's poll on gender awareness and diversity revealed a gap in perceptions of fairness. The poll was conducted with the aim of improving the heavily male-dominated media industry.
The survey was conducted from November to December and targeted approximately 36,000 people from 99 organizations including newspapers and news agencies, and garnered 9,630 respondents.
A total of 58.3 percent of women said they felt that "men are given preferential treatment," including those who answered "somewhat." This figure was nearly double the 29.4 percent of men who felt the same way.
In a section that allowed for multiple responses, participants were asked to cite situations they found to be unequal. Both men and women cited "more men being appointed to management and executive positions" as the top response. This was followed by instances where "men's opinions are strongly reflected in management policies and editorial content."
A total of 38.5 percent of respondents, combining those who answered, "very much" and "somewhat," said they had experienced difficulties at work due to their gender.
When asked what company policies they prioritized regarding working style, nearly 95 percent of respondents answered, "strengthening and improving responses to harassment."
When asked whether their workplace was one that "highly values long working hours," around 60 percent of women in their 40s and younger and men in their 30s and younger answered "yes," including those who responded "somewhat."
Despite 77.8 percent of overall respondents supporting men taking a year or more of parental leave, only 1.3 percent did so, according to the survey.
Meanwhile, 50.8 percent of respondents said they "do not want to become managers," with the most commonly cited reason being that managers they know "seem to have a tough time."
Among women in their 40s and younger, a notable number also cited "difficulty balancing work and family life" and "lack of role models" for not wanting to assume managerial positions.
