This thesis attempts to find out how and why women have not been able to reach the higher managerial positions in contemporary Japan. This thesis analyses three different layers. First is the...Show moreThis thesis attempts to find out how and why women have not been able to reach the higher managerial positions in contemporary Japan. This thesis analyses three different layers. First is the system of the career track and the clerical track which are called Ippanshoku and sōgōshoku. The second point is that Japanese working women also need more role models. They are very elementary, as these role models can not only be a mentor but also provide the right example for women to reach the top. Lastly, it analyses the system of ‘amakudari’. This system enables government officials to drop into higher managerial positions in the larger Japanese corporations when they retire from their ministerial work. This thesis finds that Japanese companies have the key role in ameliorating the situation of the few female managers within the Japanese corporations as they are keeping the current systems in place.Show less