Japanese corporations are quietly but decisively shifting their trajectory. In a bold move to increase the percentage of female managers, they are pivoting away from traditional leadership training and focusing squarely on supporting fertility—specifically pregnancy and childbirth.
The trend is clear. Companies like FamilyMart, Itochu, and Unicharm now offer subsidies for egg freezing. Fujifilm permits up to a year of leave for infertility treatment. Pola Orbis Group has established an online fertility counseling service that connects employees directly with doctors, and Takara Tomy provides nearly 20 million KRW (approx. 15,000 USD) in support for employees who give birth or adopt.
While this may appear as mere corporate welfare, the essence is different: it is a strategic management imperative to prevent brain drain.
The Japanese government has set a target to increase the ratio of female executives to 30% by 2030, but current levels hover around 15%. The cause of this gap is simple: women are leaving the workforce mid-career. The attrition is concentrated among those in their 30s and 40s—the very demographic being groomed for management.
Infertility treatment, pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare—these four hurdles converge at once. Studies confirm that over 10% of those undergoing fertility treatments eventually resign because they find it impossible to balance treatment with their professional duties.
Japanese companies have identified this pain point with surgical precision: to increase female representation in leadership, they must stop the exodus rather than just recruiting more. Their solution is straightforward: provide time, share the financial burden, and create an environment where treatment does not need to be hidden.
Now, let us turn our gaze to South Korea.
Korean companies frequently pay lip service to the importance of female talent. Slogans regarding “Women in Leadership,” “Diversity,” and “ESG” are omnipresent. Yet, the reality remains unchanged. Fertility treatment remains a personal burden, taking leave is a game of “reading the room,” and pregnancy planning is treated as confidential information to be kept hidden from the organization.
The result? The very women with the highest growth potential leave the company during their most critical professional years. This is not a matter of individual choice; it is a structural failure.
Japan is finding the answer: Support pregnancy, and your people will stay.
South Korea, however, has yet to even change the question. Before asking, “Why aren’t people having children?” we must first ask, “Why can’t our companies withstand the reality of pregnancy?”
The ratio of female managers will not increase through empty policy declarations. Numbers will not shift unless the workplace floor changes. What we need now is not a mission statement, but a company culture that “helps women sustain their career while pregnant.”
Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational purposes, based on reporting on infertility and various public data. Medical judgments and treatment decisions must always be made in consultation with professional medical personnel. Image: AI-generated (ChatGPT, OpenAI) / Visual reference for illustrative purposes only.