A First for JR East! Employee Receives 'Leader Award' at the 2026 J-Win Diversity Awards

An employee from the Marketing Department of East Japan Railway Company (JR East; Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yoichi Kise) has received the individual 'Leader Award' at the '2026 J-Win Diversity Awards,' hosted by the non-profit organization Japan Women's Innovative Network (J-Win).

This award recognizes leading companies that are accelerating Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) within Japanese corporations. The individual award honors those who have made significant contributions to D&I promotion within their respective companies. This marks the first time a JR East employee has received this honor.

1. Overview The J-Win Diversity Awards, now in their 19th year since inception in 2008, recognize individuals who have broken the status quo and brought a fresh perspective to D&I—particularly in the advancement of women—through a spirit of challenge and strong execution. This year, the award was presented to Konishi-san from the Marketing Department.

In 2019, Konishi-san proposed 'PeerCross,' a career development support service for working mothers, through the company's internal new business creation program, 'ON1000.' Since the service's launch in July 2023, she has been involved in its operation. PeerCross functions as a network that creates diverse external connections, transforming anxieties regarding career development into hope, and helping female employees proactively envision and challenge their own career paths. This initiative embodies the realization of a corporate culture where diverse talent can thrive, as stated in the group management vision 'Move Up 2034.'

'2026 J-Win Diversity Awards' Official Website: https://j-win5.jp/topics/20250929/

Reason for the Award (from J-Win): Driven by her own struggles with career development after childbirth and a sense of crisis regarding the 'mommy track' caused by excessive workplace accommodations, she became convinced of the necessity for external networks. She planned and launched 'PeerCross,' a cross-industry career development support service for working mothers, as a new business. She has since grown it into a major platform with approximately 40 participating companies.