NAGOYA--Authorities here are scrambling to revise a list of 54 historical industrialists planned for a showcase exhibition opening this fall.

Because they were all men.

The about-turn reflects concerns from residents that an all-male lineup could be problematic from the standpoint of gender equality.

So, officials began looking for women to add to the list.

They were initially planning to showcase famous industrialists at the Aichi Founders Museum, due to open Nov. 1 on the second floor of the Station Ai startup facility in the city’s Showa Ward.

The exhibition is being held to celebrate the legacies of corporate founders and business operators associated with Aichi Prefecture. 

It is being pitched as the nation’s largest startup support hub in the hope it will generate interest in starting new businesses.

There are plans to also host tours for elementary and junior high school students twice a week to encourage them to become entrepreneurs in the future.

The museum consists of four zones.

The highlight is the zone dedicated to the introduction of famous figures, with a touch panel in the center to introduce these luminaries from five different aspects, such as their profiles, related products and famous quotes.

The fourth zone will feature books and other exhibits to introduce a range of individuals, not only men, who are playing active roles in contemporary society.

The list was initially published in May. It was containing 54 names from six industrial fields such as “automobile and machinery,” “steel, railroad and energy,” “machinery and electronics” and “medication and food.”

They included Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the Toyota Group, but there were no women.

NO WOMEN AMONG THE DECEASED?

According to officials of the industry promotion division at the prefectural government, the names were decided in April 2023 based on the opinions of six members of a private-sector committee, including academic experts, former economic association officials and startup businesspersons.

They were all men.

Also referring to exhibits at the Entrepreneurial Museum of Challenge and Innovation in Osaka, it was decided to exclude people still living on grounds it was difficult to draw a line between those who should be included and those who should not.

After replacing some of the names, 54 industrialists who founded innovative businesses that turned Aichi Prefecture into a manufacturing hub were included in the list.

At least one committee member complained during the selection process that it was problematic not to include women in the list.

But no changes were made on grounds it would be hard to pick names exclusively from the deceased.

After the list was released in May, the prefectural government was peppered with requests to revise the exhibition’s content on grounds the disproportionate emphasis on men could leave visitors with the impression it would be difficult for women to work in those fields.

One resident who objected told The Asahi Shimbun that it was anachronistic to ignore the presence of women.

Based on their opinions, the prefectural government decided to revise the list in June and started sounding out companies about the change.

The officials are hoping to add several women to the list. They are also selecting exhibits to increase the ratio of women featured in the zone dedicated to introducing entrepreneurs through books.

“We thought there was nothing to be done (about women being excluded from the list) because of the historical background, but we concluded that we must come face-to-face with the opinions that it could give a false impression to young visitors,” an official said.

NEGATIVE IMPACT ON CHILDREN

Yuko Nakanishi, a professor of sociology at Musashi University in Tokyo who is well-versed in issues involving education and gender, also weighed in on the issue.

When there is a significant disproportion in the male-to-female ratio in exhibits at facilities visited by students for their social studies field trips and other occasions, she said it could affect their plans after graduation.

Nakanishi expressed her hope that the Aichi Founders Museum will feature female entrepreneurs in a visible manner to show how their achievements are directly related to female students.

“Public facilities are required to play such roles because they are meant to give back their achievements to all residents,” Nakanishi said.

However, she accepted that it might also be difficult to find female entrepreneurs who can be featured at the museum.

For one thing, Japan’s traditional gender division of work was more deeply rooted than it is today, making it difficult for women to find opportunities to start businesses.

For another, historical records also tend to be male-biased.

The professor argues that adding an exhibition section devoted to the history of women should be considered when it is difficult to include female industrialists.

“It is important to pay due attention to diversity in an active manner, especially when setting up new facilities,” she added.

(This story was written by Meiko Kawanishi and Maiko Ito.)