An Empirical Survey on Leading Gender-Equal Groups in Japan : A Case of Elementary and Junior-High Principals

考虑到妇女参与所有企业和各级部门是形成两性平等社会的必要条件，我们对在学校担任行政职务的妇女，特别是女校长进行了调查。通过邮寄方式向关东地区及其周边地区966名小学女校长发送了调查问卷，并于2003年4月至11月期间，对日本全国418名初中校长进行了调查。从这些调查中，收集了372名小学校长和182名初中校长的数据。此外，在2004年2月和3月期间，亲自采访了5名小学校长和5名初中校长。研究结果显示：（1）教育生涯、人际关系、职业生涯及家庭生活状况是影响领导者晋升的最主要因素;（2）学校日常行政事务需要快速决策，因此这些人普遍具备沟通能力等参与能力，对事物本质有深刻的洞察力，对现实情况有敏锐的感知力。这些人不仅在自己的学校，而且在更广泛的社区中产生了积极的影响。3）随着具有非传统性别意识的妇女担任校长，学校中的性别文化也在发生变化，这有助于形成一个两性平等的社会。

With the consideration that the participation of women at all corporate and tiers is mandatory for the formation of a gender equal society, we surveyed women who have advanced to administrative positions in schools, specifically female principals.Questionnaires were sent by mail to 966 female principals of elementary schools in and around the Kanto area, and to 418 junior high principals all over Japan during the time span between April and November, 2003. From these surveys, data was collected from 372 elementary and 182 Junior high principals. In addition, 5 elementary and 5 junior high principals were personally interviewed during February and March in 2004. The main results derived from the data analysis are the following :1)The factors that most prominently influenced the advancement to that leading position are educational careers, human relations, professional careers and family life situations.2)As the everyday administrative tasks in schools demand prompt decision-making, these individuals generally excel in participatory abilities such as communication skills, and they often possess a profound insight into the essence of affairs, and a perceptive awareness to realistic situations. These individuals provide positive influences not only in their own schools but also in the wider communities.3)As women with non-traditional gender consciousness have become principals, the gender culture in schools is also being changed, which is contributing to the formation toward a gender equal society.