Promoting Women's Empowerment Holds the Key to Regional Revitalization: Towards a Society Where Local Women Can Build Flexible Careers

LASSIC Inc. CEO Saori Aisaka supports April Dream, which aims to make April 1st a day for sharing dreams. This press release is the dream of "Saori Aisaka, CEO of LASSIC Inc."

Originally, she worked at a major advertising agency, handling women's magazine projects and large-scale promotions, and built a fulfilling career, even being entrusted with responsible positions despite her busy schedule.

However, amidst all this, she faced the reality of "infertility."

"Career or children? I don't want to give up on either."

Even so, she felt the limitations of balancing infertility treatment with her work style at the time.

After much deliberation, she chose to resign. And a new path: independence.

It wasn't a choice to give up her career, but a choice to "change my way of working to live true to myself."
What became clear through her own experience was the reality that women's careers are greatly influenced by life events and external circumstances such as pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, and even nursing care.

She obtained a national career consultant qualification and developed her business around marketing support, starting with career support for individuals. Currently, based in her hometown of Okayama and Tokyo, she is expanding her activities, such as conducting career training for companies, with the aim of realizing a society where "women can achieve self-realization more authentically, with their careers as part of their lives."

■Promoting Women's Empowerment from Rural Areas: The Power of Women is Necessary for Organizational Revitalization

What Aisaka felt while working in two locations, Okayama and Tokyo, balancing childcare and work, was the disparity in career opportunities for women in rural areas.

Compared to urban areas, rural areas have limited options for work styles and careers, and it is not uncommon for women to have to give up their careers due to marriage or childbirth.

Particularly in Okayama, the outflow of young women to urban areas is a problem, and it is difficult to say that there is a sufficient environment for women who want to "continue working" or "take on challenges."

Against this backdrop, the power of women is also considered important for the sustainable growth of organizations.

This is because when individuals with diverse values and perspectives join an organization, it leads to new ideas and improved decision-making quality, ultimately strengthening organizational capabilities and increasing productivity.

Furthermore, the perspective of balancing work with life events such as childcare and nursing care promotes flexible work styles and a review of organizational management, contributing to the creation of a comfortable working environment for all employees.

To address these issues, Aisaka is currently conducting training to support women's career development at companies in Okayama Prefecture. She is also working to create organizations where women can thrive long-term by supporting them in clarifying their individual career perspectives and designing work styles that anticipate life events.

■Career is a part of life; I want to be a catalyst for women to live authentically

Through her own experiences and her continued challenges as a mother raising two children, she hopes to inspire as many women as possible to take a step towards living authentically.