Panel Discussion about Diversity and Inclusion in Japanese companies, from the point of view of 3 Women leaders in the Air Transport industry

Panel Discussion about Diversity and Inclusion in Japanese companies, from the point of view of 3 Women leaders in the Air Transport industry.

Table ronde sur la diversité et l’inclusion en entreprise au Japon entre 3 femmes leaders dans le transport aérien

"We had never considered that French women faced challenges in reaching managerial positions similar to those in Japan. We thought we were the only ones dealing with such issues."

On December 5th, 2023, a significant event unfolded at the Nagoya Innovators' Garage, located in Nadya Park. The gathering, which brought together professionals and individuals, focused on empowering women and promoting leadership roles. The event featured 3 prestigious speakers: Ms Béatrice Delpuech, Director Japan/Korea for Air France Cargo, Ms. Mayumi Ejima, General Manager of ANA’s Nagoya Branch, and Ms. Junko Sakihara, General Manager of JAL’s Chubu Branch Office.

The event kicked off with Béactrice Delpuech’s speech. She outlined her background with insights into her remarkable achievements with Sodexi, Air France and Air France Cargo. 

She went on sharing her views on maintaining a work-life balance, addressing the differences between the working environments for women in France, Amsterdam (KLM), and Japan, and exposing AF methods to increase the representation of women in male-dominated sectors, such as logistics.

A talk session between the three guest speakers followed the seminar.

After being invited to reflect on the impactful points of Béatrice's presentation, the other two speakers Junko Sakihara and Mayumi Ejima shared their own thoughts on the question, offering understanding into the promotion of female leadership at JAL and ANA, respectively. The talk session took an unexpected turn as the speakers shared their surprise at the revelation that France, perceived by many as progressive, is still grappling with issues of gender inclusivity. The realization sparked a dynamic conversation, and shed light on the need for continuous efforts to address gender disparities in various professional spheres, even in seemingly advanced societies. The event ended with a networking session, where everyone could share their thoughts with the speakers.

If we could pinpoint one key moment, it would undoubtedly be when Béatrice Delpuech made an observation regarding the self-imposed barriers that women often place on their professional aspirations. She noted that, due to fear and a lack of self-confidence, many women hesitate to accept well-deserved positions, driven by the enduring belief that aspects like marriage or pregnancy might hinder their professional success.

In conclusion, our heartfelt gratitude extends to the Central Japan Economic Federation for their steadfast support. A special appreciation is due as well to Haruka Mizuta from IBA for her live translation, and finally we also thank sincerely the MOF (Meilleur Ouvriers de France) organization for their sponsorship, allowing participants to enjoy Nespresso coffee during the event. Each of them was also able to take home a delightful treat—a bag of bread from Gifu's delectable bakery, Guruman Vital.