*Subtitles: Choose “Subtitles/CC” in the “Settings” (gear icon) at the bottom right of the YouTube video.
*Subtitles may not show with multiple languages or overlapping audio.

In Part 1, “Global Women's Health Conference®︎2025" will be held.
･Talk Session "Exploring 'Healthcare Innovation' from the Global Perspective of Women's Health"
･Awards Ceremony for "Women's Health-Friendly Companies 2025"
<Part 1: April 27, 2025, 13:00-15:00 (doors open at 12:30)
Speakers: Shingo Kikukawa(Director-General, Innovation and Environment Bureau,METI), Michiyo Namba (Think Pearl)
Awards Ceremony: Companies that have entered the Women's Health-Friendly Declaration

In Part 2, a “talk session” will be held. Theme : Creation of the society and companies where people can be themselves regardless of their gender.
Discussions will be held from different perspectives, led by a variety of actual workers, to provide an opportunity to change each person's awareness and behavior.High school students will present their research.
<Part 2: April 27, 2025, 17:00-19:20 (doors open at 16:30)
Speakers: Sumitomo Electric Industries, ITOCHU Corporation, ES Global, Obayashi Corporation

【Reflection】
This event, “Global Women's Body Conference 2025,” was a valuable venue for lively discussions among speakers from diverse positions in the public, private, and academic sectors, with women's health and empowerment as the central theme. Under the sponsorship of Think Pearl, the conference was a great success in that related ministries, economic organizations, and cooperating companies were able to collaborate and clearly share the fact that women's health issues are directly related to economic activities and organizational revitalization.

During the panel discussion, the importance of making women's health issues visible, the low percentage of women in management positions, and the lagging measures taken by Japanese companies were discussed, along with specific data on the challenges and prospects. Mr. Kikukawa of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) presented a shocking estimate of 3.4 trillion yen in economic losses from neglecting health issues, showing that the losses from not addressing them are serious for both companies and society.

He also talked about the future direction of healthcare, including the visualization of “emotions” and “stress” through the use of AI and technology, suggesting that an era in which technology will make it possible to provide personalized and optimal support is just around the corner. In addition, advanced examples of support for women in the workplace and work style reform were also shared, and the path to bridging the gap between the ideal and reality gradually became clear.

Throughout the event, we were able to reaffirm that the key to future change lies in “action” and “empathy,” and that it is essential to renew the mindset at the individual, organizational, and societal levels.

【Post EXPO Initiatives】
After the event, the issues and recommendations presented must be taken into account and linked to specific actions. The first step is to widely disseminate the advanced initiatives and survey results shared by the speakers and participating companies to society to deepen awareness and understanding.

Particular attention was paid to the need for reforms in both corporate culture and systems. It was pointed out that it is essential not only to develop systems that take health issues into consideration, but also to create a corporate culture that facilitates the use of such systems. Based on this, efforts should be made to promote awareness-raising, including the introduction of in-house training and awareness-raising programs for the leadership level.

Regarding the impact of women's specific health issues on their careers, the data showed that there was no significant difference in their willingness to be promoted regardless of their experience. This is a positive indication that with appropriate support for health issues, there is no need to give up on career development, and is a tailwind material for companies and governments. It is also important to have a mechanism to convey these positive messages to the younger generation and future generations.

Sakuya Working Community