Business Daily Raising Japan’s female leaders
5 snips
Nov 5, 2025 
Afia Eri is a young member of Japan's lower house and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, passionately discussing the barriers women face in politics. Kaori Hayashi, Executive Vice-President of the University of Tokyo, highlights efforts to increase female faculty in STEM through the UTokyo Gender Equity Initiative. Yumiko Murakami, co-founder of W Power Fund, reveals funding gaps faced by female entrepreneurs and addresses safety issues in the startup ecosystem, advocating for a cultural shift towards greater support for women.
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Female Founder Faces VC Bias
- Afia Eri described fundraising barriers she faced when starting a restaurant and contacting VCs.
- She says VCs prefer younger men who are easier to befriend, stopping her from securing funding.
Gender Gap Contradicts Economic Status
- Japan ranks very low on the Global Gender Gap Index despite being a high-income country.
- Economic development alone hasn't closed leadership and pay gaps for Japanese women.
Targeted Funds Tackle Capital Gaps
- W Power Fund was launched to focus exclusively on female founders and women-empowerment businesses.
- Public-private funding partnerships can open capital access where traditional VC networks exclude women.