Tomoko Yoshino
芳野友子
Born1965 or 1966 (age 57–58)
OccupationLabor union leader
Known forPresident of RENGO

Tomoko Yoshino (芳野友子) is the first female president of RENGO, Japan's largest labor organization.[1][2] In her role at RENGO, she has worked to reduce gender gaps in the Japanese workforce.[1]

Yoshino is also one of a council responsible for implementing prime minister Fumio Kishida's trickle-down "new capitalism" economic policies aimed at addressing income inequality.[1][3][4][5][6]


Career

After high school, Yoshino started working at Juki, a company that makes sewing machines, in 1984.[1][2] She joined the Japanese Association of Metal, Machinery, and Manufacturing Workers (JAM), a manufacturing union.[1][2]

In 2015, she became vice president of the labor union federation RENGO and deputy head of JAM.[2]

On 6 October 2021 she was promoted to president of RENGO, making her the first female president in the organization's history and the first RENGO president to come from JAM.[2][7] She was chosen for a two-year term.[2] According to Yoshino, some of her male colleagues encouraged her not to take the job because "it was too difficult for a woman to handle the job in such a difficult time".[8] However, many women in RENGO supported her promotion as a sign of progress.[8] Yoshino said of her decision to accept the role: "I made up my mind that I should never miss a chance to break the glass ceiling by myself".[8]

In her role as chief of RENGO, Yoshino's goals include improving gender equality and diversity as well as supporting casual workers.[1][3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Reynolds, Isabel; Huang, Grace (29 November 2021). "Japan labor boss finds widespread resistance to female leaders". The Japan Times. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Tomoko Yoshino becomes first female chief of Japan's largest labor body". The Japan Times. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  3. 1 2 "First female head of Japan labor lobby vows to empower women". AP NEWS. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  4. "Japan's 'new capitalism' council taps female business pioneers". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  5. "PM Kishida's 'new capitalism' backpedaling toward Abenomics". Mainichi Shimbun. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  6. "Critics: Kishida's 'new capitalism' looks like return to old LDP plans". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  7. "Yoshino to be 1st woman to chair Japan's largest labor group | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 Sugiura, Eri; Lewis, Leo; Inagaki, Kana (14 December 2021). "Japan's first female trade union head was urged by men to turn down job". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
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