BPW International

The National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs of Japan (BPWJ) held the 2010 JWLI (Japanese Women’s Leadership Initiative) Forum on June 27 in Tokyo, and June 29, 2010 in Fukuoka.  

Over 175 people, including more than 60 young students, gathered at the International Conference Hall, Fukuoka Acros in Fukuoka to participate in the JWLI Forum, and more than 60 people attended the Forum held at the Center for the Advancement of Working Women in Tokyo.  Both forums were well-received among audiences, and discussions were lively. 

The JWLI Program was founded by Ms. Atsuko Toko Fish, a Trustee of Fish Family Foundation in Boston, Massachusetts, aiming to foster more active participation and empowerment of women for social change through nonprofit activities in Japan.  The BPW Japan appreciated the idea and enthusiasm that Ms. Fish, whose origin is in Japan, and became a formal partner organization of the JWLI Program in 2009.  Add to the JWLI Fellows Program, a new pilot project, JWLI Forum Program, was launched in 2010.  The JWLI Forum Program is funded by the United States-Japan Foundation through the Center for Gender in Organizations (CGO) at the School of Management, Simmons College in Boston, an instrumental and academic partner organization of the JWLI Fellows Program.  The mission of the JWLI Forum Program is to generate more interest in nonprofit organizations through the education of effective management of nonprofits and further promotion of women’s engagement as leaders.

Add to BPW Japan’s programs for young women such as Young Speech Contest and UN-CSW Internship Programs, we believe that JWLI project would lead us to build better means and vehicle to foster women's leadership and changing the society in Japan.  

One of speakers, Ms. Patricia Deyton, a Director of Center for Gender in Organization, talked about the mission-based effective management of nonprofit organizations and the values of nonprofits that support and encourage women to step up to the leadership challenge.  Other speakers were Mr. Paul Grogan, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation, and Mr. Akira Matsubara, Vice President of Coalition for Legislation to Support Citizens’ Organizations (C’s).  Forums were backed by the Gender Equality Bureau of the Japanese government.