Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a ceremony to commend leading companies where women shine at the Prime Minister's Office.

These awards are being implemented from this year, with the objective of contributing to the realization of a “society where women shine,” by presenting the Prime Minister’s Award and the Minister of State Award to companies that have demonstrated substantial achievements regarding the appointment of women in executive and managerial positions, in order to advance the development of working environments in which women can take an active part.

In his opening address, the Prime Minister made the following remarks,

“Along with offering my heartfelt congratulations to the companies that are the recipients of today’s awards, I would also like to express my sincere respect for your having created workplaces where women can actively participate, and proactively providing information on the appointment of women. One of the top priorities of our administration is “to create a society where all women shine.”

Under the Abe government, the number of employed women has increased by 800,000.

In order to develop a society where it is easy for women to work and play a highly active role, it is essential that companies implement comprehensive measures. All of the recipients of the awards today have actively implemented measures in regard to the appointment of women, the development of their abilities, and the disclosure of information.

I hope that they will serve as leading examples to all regions of Japan and to all fields of business endeavor, so that the circle of measures to create a society where women shine will spread steadily.

For Japan, where the population is decreasing and the productive population is declining, women’s participation is essential in order to keep a solid grasp on our future prosperity. Moreover, I am convinced that having women play an active role is certain to result in the improved performance for each company that does so.

I strongly hope that all the recipients of today’s awards will prove this to be the case.

I pledge to work with all of you to achieve these goals and, once again, to offer my heartiest congratulations to each and every recipient.”