Of about 3,500 listed firms, some 60% had no female representation in management, according to a 2018 survey compiled by Tokyo Shoko Research. In the construction and manufacturing sectors, companies that had no female executives accounted for some 70%. On the other hand, the percentage of female representation in management was found high in the retail and service sectors due to a large number of female hires. The overall percentage of female representation in management rose 0.5 points on the year to 4.2% in 2018.

The survey covered 3,490 listed firms. The data were compiled based on the number of board members indicated in their financial reports. Of the companies surveyed, 2,223 firms, or 63.6%, had no female executives.

By industry, construction had the lowest female representation in management, with 73.8% of construction firms having no female executives. Of the ten industries surveyed, it was the only sector that saw the percentage exceeding 70%. In the wholesale and manufacturing industries, some 69% of them had no female representation in management.

The number of board members surveyed came to 38,773, of which 1,662 were female. The percentage of female representation in management edged up 0.5 points from a year earlier. In 2018, 170 firms newly appointed female executives.

But companies that had over 10% of female representation in management accounted for slightly below 20% of the total. (Abridged)