Narrator
By 2020, Japan aims to have 73% of its women active in the workforce and have women occupy 30% of managerial roles. While Japanese women are well-educated, they're the most under-utilized population of women in the developed world.
SUPER: Timothy W. Latimore, Country Executive for Japan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
70% of women, who leave the workforce, once they’ve had a child, stay out of the workforce for 10 years or more and that’s compared to 30% in the United States.
SUPER: Rena M. De Sisto, Global Arts & Culture Internationl CSR Executive, Bank of America, Global Ambassador, United States
The Japanese don't particularly like the idea of baby sitters or nannies or things like that, it's expected that the woman would stay home. But at the same time, they have a declining birth rate, they have an aging population, so in order for their economy to grow they need women back into the workplace and that's what we're here to help effect.
Opening Graphic: The Global Ambassadors Program. A Vital Voices & Bank of America Partnership
SUPER: Alyse Nelson, President & CEO, Vital Voices Global Partnership
The Global Ambassadors Program is a unique, signature, global mentoring program that's really all about how do we accelerate women's leadership and economic participation around the world. How do we use some of the top talent, women leaders, to really invest in that next generation.
SUPER: Maco Yoshioka, Founder and Executive Director, Madre Bonita, Mentee, Japan
In Japan we don't have many mentors, so I've always been looking for someone to consult and someone to talk to when I have to make difficult decisions but I didn't have anyone.
SUPER: Carol Robles-Roman, President and CEO, Legal Momentum, Global Ambassador, United States
The fact that mentoring is not part of the culture here is a challenge. Social science has shown that when women and men have mentors they will rise, they will rise professionally, they rise personally.
SUPER: Natsuki Tanaka, Founder and President, Advantage Inc., Mentee, Japan
So this program really gives me the opportunity to grow as a female entrepreneur and also have the leadership skill that I really need to go forward.
SUPER: Miwa Tanaka, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Waris Co., Ltd., Mentee, Japan
This experience was really transformative for me, for our organization.
SUPER: Satoko Kono, President, ARUN LLC, Mentee, Japan
This program encourages us to think and to move ahead with confidence.
Narrator
The Global Ambassadors Program has helped women leaders from more than 34 countries, providing specific training, mentoring and public forums to make an impact in their respective communities.
SUPER: Maria Mercedes Corrales, Freelance Consultant, Global Ambassador, Philippines
The courage of these women to step forward, take on projects-some of them are very difficult, and just their willingness to step up to the plate and be heard-that courage, it’s just inspiring for me.
SUPER: Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, National CAPACD, Global Ambassador, United States
It's like witnessing history, you know, I feel like it is really, I think, going to be transformational for the future of women in Japan. I really believe that.
Maco Yoshioka
We are going to be role model for next generation.
Satoko Kono
We are the ones who create the path.
SUPER: Keiko Koda, President and CEO, AsMama, Inc
We will change the world.
End Graphic: The Global Ambassadors Program. A Vital Voices & Bank of America Partnership. global-ambassadors.org.