Abstract
Through interviews with female outside directors, this research analyzes why gender
equity progress has been slower in Japan in comparison to other nations. Japan’s
GDP ranked third in the world after the United States and China, but its gender index
ranked 125th out of 146 countries in a 2023 survey, the lowest among developed
countries. Japan ranked particularly low in gender equity progress in the fields of
business and politics. This paper’s focus is on female outside directors who are
active in business, including interviews with five Japanese and non-Japanese female
outside directors of Tokyo Stock Exchange listed companies. Data is analyzed using
a qualitative method known as the Grounded Theory Approach （GTA） method. The
findings of this research identify seven distinct issues causing barriers are for women
to become senior executives in Japan, as well as on the need for cognitive diversity on
boards of directors.
