Media Initiatives Focusing on "Working Moms": "AERA" and "Nikkei DUAL"

"AERA"
　Working Moms and Companies Changing Society

Editor-in-Chief, Asahi Shimbun Publications 'AERA'
Ms. Keiko Hamada

Today, many companies are seeing a definite increase in women who want to continue working after having children. However, the reality remains harsh, and they often face significant barriers. Yet, as the number of working moms grows, society will inevitably change. AERA is constantly exploring what can be done now to build a society where people can continue working.

Busy working moms are highly promising consumers for companies. They spare no expense to solve immediate problems. They make quick purchase decisions without comparing prices. Because they spend less time with their children, they want to provide more than enough for their education and entertainment. Furthermore, I feel working moms' information-gathering skills surpass those of stay-at-home moms. They face pressing daily challenges. To tackle these, they actively seek information within their limited time, demonstrating a different level of determination. AERA prides itself on being a media outlet that can effectively connect with these busy working moms.

Special Feature: "Working Moms in Transition"
(October 6 issue)

While we've long focused on working mothers in our pages, this year we launched the "Working Mother 1000 Committee" as a network to leverage our vast stockpile of information gathered from interviewing working women. Working mothers will share their firsthand information and opinions through online communities, events, and AERA's pages. Working mothers vividly reflect the challenges faced by working women in general. We believe that taking action from this starting point will also lead to broader support for working women.

We're pleased that many companies have shown interest in AERA's working mother initiatives. Some companies see an increase in working mother employees internally, while others view them as high-potential consumers. We clearly sense a shift in attitudes over the past two to three years.

We believe companies hold the greatest power to change the current situation. They can transform how working mothers work and create products tailored for them. While we're seeing more opportunities for collaboration, AERA also intends to actively pursue projects that contribute to the public good for working mothers.

"Working Mothers 1000 Committee" Event

"Nikkei DUAL"
　Pinpointed for Working Moms and Dads

A community-based information site operated by Nikkei BP, focused specifically on working moms and dads. It supports busy dual-income families juggling work and childcare, providing useful information. Topics covered are wide-ranging, including childcare and education tailored to children's ages, money management for dual-income households, balancing work and childcare, and career concerns. Packed with immediately useful information for its main readership—working moms in urban areas with high household incomes—content for dads is also expanding. It is part of the Nikkei Womenomics Project, a comprehensive initiative by Nikkei Inc. supporting working women.

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