Girls in STEM: How Tokyo Is Opening Doors to the Future

Small hands gripped smartphones, eyes fixed on the screens. Through AR and AI technologies, elementary and junior high school girls explored personal color analysis and virtual makeup experiences, their curiosity on full display.

Girls enjoy virtual makeup on a smartphone.

Elsewhere in the venue, a variety of experiments were underway. Fresh cream was poured into plastic bottles and shaken until it turned into butter. Laughter filled the space as the girls discovered that persistence—and science—can create change. 

These scenes unfolded at Kirari Science Festival, an event designed to bring science to life for young learners through both advanced digital tools and hands-on experiments. 

A demonstrator shows how cream becomes butter.

Bringing Science to Life on International Women’s Day 

The event was held on March 8, International Women’s Day, at Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB), a startup and innovation hub operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) in central Tokyo. A total of 158 female students in grades four to six of elementary school and junior high school attended with their parents. 

Tokyo Innovation Base

Kirari Science Festival was organized following FY 2022 and FY 2023 studies indicating that repeated exposure to influences from their surroundings—such as interpersonal relationships and social media—may lead to the development of unconscious gender-based biases. 

Audiences fill the venue at Kirari Science Festival.

Gender Bias Persists across Generations 

The FY 2025 public opinion poll further highlighted Japan’s gender equality gap. Conducted among Tokyo residents aged 18 and older, the survey found that while opinions were evenly split on whether gender affects academic strengths and weaknesses, approximately 83 percent believed certain jobs are better suited to men or women. 

A FY 2022 study of fifth- and sixth- grade students at public elementary schools in Tokyo, along with their parents and teachers, found a similar pattern among children: 47 percent of boys and 40 percent of girls thought some jobs were gender-specific. Among adults, however, the figures were significantly higher, with 70 percent of fathers and 57 percent of mothers holding this view.  

The research also showed that everyday remarks matter. Children who had been told phrases like “because you’re a boy” or “because you’re a girl” were more likely to develop fixed ideas about gender roles. Over time, these small comments can shape self-perception and narrow future aspirations. 

Ability Is Not the Issue 

“There is no difference in ability between women and men, at least in medicine and biology,” said Kagaya Rika, an Oxford-educated business executive with a background in molecular biology who serves as COO of a Japan-based well-being startup focused on iPS cells.  

She noted that qualities often associated with women, such as empathy and compassion, can be assets in scientific fields. She also pointed to a lack of visible role models. “When girls’ role models are often limited to schoolteachers, it becomes difficult for them to imagine a future in science,” she said. 

At the event, Kagaya led a mini-lecture on iPS cells, followed by a hands-on workshop where children created their own beauty serum. She stressed the importance of offering diverse experiences early, before they begin narrowing their career options. 

Kagaya Rie lectures on iPS cells at Kirari Science Festival.

How One Comment Can Change a Path 

Sometimes, a single encounter can ignite a lifelong interest. 

For Shigematsu Suzuna, now a junior at Sophia University, the turning point came during high school, when a cram-school teacher explained physics through everyday examples. Speaking at the event, she recalled how learning about the physics behind Japan’s Suica IC card transformed her view of the subject. 

“I realized physics wasn’t just complicated formulas—it was something that made daily life work,” she said. That realization led her to pursue engineering at university.  

Connecting Girls with STEM Role Models 

To address these challenges, TMG runs office tours for female junior and senior high school students, which connect girls with women working in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Through office tours and direct dialogue, participants gain firsthand insight into scientific careers and workplace realities. 

These initiatives are built on a clear understanding: ability is not the barrier—access is. 

Office tour participants experience laboratory work.

Strong Academic Results, Limited STEM Choices 

The data supports this view. According to the 2022 OECD survey of 15-year-olds, Japan ranked fifth in mathematics and second in science among 81 participating countries and regions. Although boys outperformed girls in mathematics by nine score points, this gender gap is relatively small by international standards.  

Despite this strong performance, Japan recorded the lowest proportion of female university graduates in STEM fields among 48 countries in 2021, at just 17.5 percent, compared with the OECD average of 32.5 percent. 

This contradiction underscores a critical issue: academic ability does not translate into participation when social expectations and limited exposure constrain choices. 

Expanding Opportunities through Early Exposure 

Recognizing this, TMG emphasizes early engagement—before students must choose between humanities and sciences—because exposure at a young age helps build confidence and broaden what girls can imagine for themselves. 

Launched in 2022, office tours for female junior and high school students began with 80 participants at a single company. By FY 2025, participation had expanded to 72 organizations, offering about 2,600 girls a wide range of real-world STEM experiences. This program’s popularity has surged, with applications sometimes exceeding available spots by about seven times. 

What Truly Captures Girls’ Interest 

“We had been thinking about how to spark girls’ interest in STEM,” said Ishikura Hideaki  who organizes the office tour in collaboration with TMG. 

“But what actually made their eyes light up was meeting women working in STEM and learning that they could work in casual clothes or start later by using flexible working hours. Their sense of surprise came well before the content of STEM itself. It made us realize many of these students had almost no image of what it means to work in society.” 

He therefore emphasized the importance of female role models. The good news is that in planning office tours for girls, he has never been turned down when approaching large companies for cooperation. 

Learning by Doing—and Talking 

During a 2025 visit to a beverage manufacturer, participants created original fruit teas using beakers and pipettes. At another participating organization, they observed cardiomyocytes differentiated from iPS cells, watching in awe as they beat rhythmically across a magnified microscope screen. 

Beyond hands-on activities and observation, the program places a strong emphasis on dialogue. Students engage in discussions and roundtable talks with professionals about career decisions, workplace culture, and balancing work and private life.  

Office tour participants create one’s own original fruit tea.

Impact That Lasts Beyond the Visit 

The impact of these experiences was striking. After the tours, 93.4 percent of participants reported gaining a clear image of what it is like to work in STEM fields. Interest in pursuing STEM careers rose from 47.4 percent before the tour to 76.7 percent afterward, and 95.0 percent said the experience helped them think more concretely about their future careers.  

Confidence That Endures 

Follow-up surveys conducted three months after participation indicated that the tours not only sparked interest but also helped sustain students’ motivation over time. 

Participants shared reflections such as: 

• “I was unsure about my future, but this experience inspired me to pursue science.” 
• “My interest in science grew, as did my commitment to studying mathematics.”  
• “I discovered that IT careers are open to humanities students as well, which expanded my career options.” 
• “I am now considering a future in digital-related fields.” 

Opening Doors Early, Changing Futures 

As the data and voices throughout this story make clear, the gender gap in STEM is not a question of ability, but of opportunity—and opportunity can be created.  

By giving girls early exposure to science, connecting them with role models, and challenging unconscious bias, Tokyo is laying groundwork for lasting change.  

“Going forward, we aim to continue promoting women’s participation in STEM fields by enhancing initiatives such as office tours. We also intend to strengthen our efforts to address unconscious bias for both children and adults,” said the organizer of the science event for female elementary and junior high students. 

These efforts are quietly reshaping what girls can imagine for themselves. When curiosity is nurtured and possibilities are made visible, girls can thrive in STEM—and Tokyo is illustrating how change begins by opening doors early.