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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