“You are valuable just as you are.” I hope you won’t set limits on your own potential, and that you’ll cherish the experiences you’ve gained abroad and your unique perspectives. I also hope you’ll have a positive influence on those around you.”

―― Connecting Across Countries and Generations to Unlock Each Individual’s Potential

Kayoko Sakai has herself been supported by a women’s network that transcends corporate boundaries. In this interview, we spoke with Ms. Sakai — Senior Executive Vice President  and Group CSuO at SOMPO Holdings, Inc. — about her motivations for supporting JWIBA, her role in bridging the gap with “Girls Meet STEM,” building an organization where diverse talent can thrive, and her message to those taking on challenges abroad.

Q1. Please tell us how you first learned about JWIBA and why you decided to support it.

I myself have participated in networks focused on women’s empowerment in Japan and have been helped by these peer connections. With so few women in decision-making roles, it can be difficult to meet people with similar experiences or concerns solely within one’s own company.

However, by getting to know people from other companies, you realize, “There are role models like this” or “There are ways of working like this.” We can think together about how women can reach their full potential.

At J-Win (an NPO supporting diversity and inclusion), where I was involved, there’s a system that maintains connections not only through the activities of women just below the management level and women at the section chief and department head levels, but also through networks of women who have become executives. Even as their roles change, they continue to learn from one another through study sessions and advocacy efforts, fostering a movement of “let’s do this together.”

It was in this context that I first learned about JWIBA’s activities after our former Co-CDO, Albert Chu, introduced me to Makiko Kawabe (former CEO of JWIBA). I strongly resonated with the fact that people in Silicon Valley share the same concerns and are striving to first build horizontal connections and then create something new from there.

Things that are difficult to advance within a single company can lead to new initiatives when connections are made across companies. There is great value in knowing that “you are not alone.” I also see JWIBA as serving as such a meaningful space.

Q2. Could you tell us about the background behind connecting “Girls Meet STEM (GMS)” with JWIBA?

I was originally involved with the Shintaro Yamada D&I Foundation as a pro bono advisor, helping to promote the significance of its activities to companies. This was because I personally shared the foundation’s commitment to supporting girls’ advancement into STEM fields and their success there.

What resonated with me most was their approach of focusing on the unconscious assumptions and societal “norms” that underlie gender disparities, and their commitment to changing them from the ground up.

Even when it comes to choosing a career path, perceptions such as “science and engineering are fields for men,” along with the expectations of parents and those around them, can narrow a person’s options based on factors unrelated to their own interests or aptitudes.Having been involved in diversity initiatives for many years, I myself had long recognized as an issue the fact that while many women pursue fields such as medicine and pharmacy—which lead to professional licenses such as those for doctors and pharmacists—few choose fields like engineering. That is precisely why I find great significance in initiatives that remove these invisible barriers and enable people to choose career paths based on their own interests and potential, regardless of gender.

At the time, the person in charge of public relations and corporate partnerships at the Shintaro Yamada D&I Foundation was also based in the U.S. I happened to learn about JWIBA right around that time, so I thought that if we could connect with others active in the U.S., we might be able to accomplish something together.

Silicon Valley is truly the heart of STEM. I thought there might be people at JWIBA who work at companies in that field and could serve as role models for the next generation, so I put us in touch.

It’s important not only to support those who have already decided on their career paths but also to encourage those who are still exploring their options. I believe that learning about “jobs like this” and “people like this who are thriving” can be a catalyst for broadening their options.

Q3. While working with JWIBA, was there anything that surprised you or left a lasting impression?

To be honest, I was surprised to see “so many Japanese women thriving in Silicon Valley.” I had the impression that Silicon Valley was dominated by men, so this was a pleasant discovery.

Given that there are times when I feel Japan’s presence overseas is fading, I hope people like you will bring new energy and perspectives back to Japan.

I also sensed that many of you are making choices to pursue your goals while staying true to yourselves. The way women work and lead is changing with each generation.

However, to become aware of these options, it’s necessary to get to know a variety of people. I also feel that some people are still setting limits for themselves. I hope you’ll bring a breath of fresh air to Japan—one that makes people think, “So this is another way to live.”

Q4. How does the SOMPO Group view equity and inclusion?

We aim to be a company where diverse talent — not just women — can thrive. I myself have been advancing initiatives toward this goal through my work in HR and cultural transformation.

At Sompo Japan, we were ahead of other financial institutions in establishing a dedicated department to promote women’s advancement in the early 2000s and have since put in place systems to support work-life balance. However, it’s not just about “ease of working”; it’s also important for women to feel a “sense of fulfillment” in their work and to be able to demonstrate their capabilities in decision-making roles.

Even in a company with a high proportion of female employees, whether there are enough women in decision-making positions is a separate challenge. We are working to increase the number of women involved in decision-making through opportunities to learn leadership skills and systems that encourage them to take on roles of responsibility.

Q5. Specifically, what kinds of initiatives are you implementing?

One initiative is the “Women’s Leadership Council.” Female employees at the section chief level voluntarily come together to identify areas where changes within the company would allow them to perform more effectively, and they make recommendations to the executive board. This initiative enables those directly involved to connect with one another and convey their voices to management.

We are also focusing on mentoring. In the past, female executives and department heads supported female employees, but now male executives and department heads are also involved as mentors. We don’t stop at simply offering advice; we’ve incorporated elements of sponsorship—such as recommending employees for their next roles—to lead to actual promotions.

Another distinctive feature is “reverse mentoring,” in which junior employees serve as mentors to executives and others. I’ve participated in this myself, and I find it very interesting. When I ask employees in their 20s about their values and where they get their information, I realize how different their perspectives are from what I had taken for granted.

Sometimes, department managers will have junior employees review messages intended for the staff and ask for their candid feedback. I believe there is real value in fostering relationships where people feel comfortable sharing their opinions regardless of their position.

We’ve also been promoting a bottom-up initiative called “ERG (Employee Resource Group)” since 2018, where employees with shared interests come together. I realized its importance during a visit to leading diversity-focused companies overseas and brought the concept back to Japan to launch it here.

For example, an employee with a hearing impairment asked, “Why don’t the company’s commercials have subtitles?” We relayed this feedback to the public relations department, which led to improvements. A single person’s insight can be the catalyst for change within the company. I believe that is what matters most.

Department heads and executives are also involved in these activities. By hearing voices they rarely have the opportunity to hear otherwise, they can become aware of their own unconscious biases. It is crucial to connect the voices of those directly affected with the people in positions to drive organizational change.

Q6. What are your expectations for JWIBA’s future activities?

I hope JWIBA will share the experiences and perspectives gained overseas not only with the West Coast but also with Japan. At a time when Japan seems to be turning inward, it is incredibly valuable to show young people that “there are other ways to work.”

I also think a system like JWIBA’s — where people connect and new initiatives emerge — is excellent. There is significance in the fact that the people who launch these initiatives pass the torch to the next generation, allowing the work to continue as members come and go.

Rather than being confined to a model where everyone follows in the footsteps of a single leader, people take on roles in turn and stay connected in a flexible, organic way. The more serious someone is, the more they tend to push themselves too hard, thinking, “I have to add value,” but I don’t think they need to push themselves too far.

The very fact that people can feel, “There’s a place where I belong,” is what matters most. I hope that even as people come and go, these connections will endure and continue to evolve.

Q7. Finally, please share a message for the female leaders, researchers, and students participating in JWIBA.

What I want to convey is this: “You are valuable just as you are.”

I get the sense that some of you may not fully recognize your own value. But all of you—who have encountered diverse people and ways of thinking abroad and gained experiences you couldn’t have had just by staying in Japan—are truly valuable individuals. I hope you’ll cherish what you’ve gained there and your unique perspectives.

What choices have you made to work in a way that’s true to yourself? What values and work styles have you encountered abroad? By sharing these experiences, I believe you’ll help others realize, “Maybe there are different possibilities for me, too.”

I hope you won’t set limits on yourselves, but instead meet a variety of people and expand your own possibilities. Those experiences and perspectives will also serve to encourage young people choosing their future paths and those hesitating to take their next step.

In an era where the world is so interconnected, I hope you’ll share your voices with Japan and with the next generation. Recognize your own worth, cherish your unique perspective, and have a positive influence on those around you. I’d be delighted if you could be that kind of person.

 “You yourselves are valuable.” Those words conveyed a deep trust in each person’s experiences and perspectives, as well as a hope that you would move forward without limiting your own potential. JWIBA will continue to foster a space where people can share experiences across national and generational boundaries, connect naturally, and discover their own unique potential.

Interviewer: Makiko Kawabe, JWIBA Edit: JWIBA PR Team

Date of Interview: September 11, 2026

This article is based on information available at the time of the interview. The content has been reviewed and approved by the interviewee.

This article is published as part of JWIBA’s sponsorship benefits.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone at the SOMPO Group for their ongoing support of JWIBA’s activities.