Groundbreakers | From First Female Sales Rep to Diversity Leader

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Japanese women are making a meaningful impact around the world. If they were ever invisible, certainly they are not now. What inspired them to step forward into their roles today? This time, JAPAN Forward set out to feature Midori Ito, who became the first female sales representative at Sekisui House, for our series "Groundbreakers."

Midori Ito served as a Standing Audit and Supervisory Board Member at Sekisui House, one of Japan's largest homebuilders. She retired from the company in the spring of 2025 after a long and successful career.

Starting as the company's first female sales representative, over time, Ito took on a key role in promoting diversity. She supported female employees who wanted to continue working through various life stages.

Even after retiring from the company, she hopes to create a society where people can live fulfilling lives. Her focus now extends beyond the corporate world.

Diversity at Sekisui House

In 2018, shortly after being appointed an executive officer in charge of diversity at Sekisui House, Ito introduced a groundbreaking policy. It required male employees to take at least one full month of paternity leave.

"I've always wanted to support motivated employees. Looking back, unfortunately, many women left their jobs because they had to shoulder housework, childcare, or eldercare alone," she recalls.

"If partners support each other, they can both grow their careers. I believe that mandatory paternity leave could spark those vital conversations. And more than anything, it makes children happier too."

The initiative drew widespread attention both inside and outside the industry.

A Different Time

Things were very different when Ito first joined Sekisui House. At the time, Japan had yet to enact the Equal Employment Opportunity Law.

"When I first became a sales rep, most meetings were full of men. I definitely felt the pressure of being outnumbered," she recalls.

But her uniqueness became her strength. "Being a woman made me stand out, and people remembered me," she says.

Ito eventually became the company's first female sales representative. She later held roles such as store manager. Throughout her career, she sold a cumulative total of 300 homes and was even honored with the company's President's Award.

A Woman in Sales

"There was a time when I worried that customers wouldn't trust me just because I was a woman," she reflects. "But one customer once asked me, 'Why would being a woman be a problem?' It made me realize how meaningless it was to focus on gender differences. What really mattered was the value I offered the customer."

When asked why she joined the company and the housing industry, she smiles. "It was a chance encounter — I just happened to see a newspaper ad. I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to do when I was young. And that was okay."

Ito began her career as a sales assistant at a model home park in Sekisui House's Kobe Sales Office. From the start, she found fulfillment not only in satisfying customers but also in collaborating with her team.

"The sense of joy and fulfillment in work comes from building it up, day by day," she reflects.

Overcoming Traditional Expectations

Unlike most women at the time, Ito continued working after marrying at 23. Back then, many female employees left the workforce upon marriage or childbirth. She credits her family's support for enabling her to keep going.

"That's what people used to call 'marriage retirement,'" she explains. "When I got married, my husband respected my decision to keep working. After giving birth to my eldest daughter, I was transferred to a model home site near my house. But there was no formal maternity leave system at the time."

Ito drew inspiration from her mother. "Back in the 1960s, she was financially independent and studied bookkeeping while working so she could move into a better profession," Ito recalls. "I'll never forget that when I confided in her about struggles at work in her later years, she smiled and said, 'Failure is the foundation of success.'"

Carving Her Career Path

After returning to work, Ito became the company's first female general sales representative. At first, she accompanied her manager on sales visits. But when it came time to discuss contracts, customers often directed their questions to him.

"I realized that if things continued like that, I'd never sell a house on my own," she says. "So I spoke up and asked to start handling sales independently."

Her success came from genuine care for her clients. She visited company housing complexes and asked about residents' family structures and how long they'd lived there. Then she tailored proposals accordingly. She also distributed newsletters and housing information, gradually becoming a trusted advisor.

"Day and night, I was always thinking about how to bring joy to the customers right in front of me," she recalls. "Even something as small as noticing, 'That household over there might be thinking of visiting a model home,' kept me motivated."

Leadership Amid Skepticism

Eventually, Ito was appointed store manager. "Two junior female employees approached me, saying they wanted to work in sales. When I brought it up with my manager, he agreed on the condition that I take responsibility and become the store manager. I couldn't say no after seeing the fire in their eyes," she explains.

However, the new model home they were assigned to was built on the site of a former construction office. It was in a subdivision where most homes had already been sold. Some colleagues warned it was a bad idea.

"I definitely sensed a 'Let's see what she can do' attitude," she says. "But it was an older subdivision, and many homes were aging. So we went door to door, reaching out to neighbors to tap into the demand for rebuilding. When we opened the model home, so many customers came that they couldn't all fit inside. We had to hold a pre-opening event to accommodate them."

That initiative led to 17 years of continuous success in the area. Ito and her team maintained the top market share throughout.

Her leadership was also evident during times of crisis — especially after the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. At the time, she was the manager of the company's Yamanomachi model home site in Kobe.

"As soon as I confirmed the safety of my family and employees, I rushed out to check on our homeowners," she says. "Not a single Sekisui House home was fully or partially destroyed. Seeing everyone's faces brought immense relief. It reaffirmed for me that a home is more than just a building — it's a shelter that protects lives and families."

Advocating for Women's Advancement

After turning 50, Ito reached a major turning point. Wanting to support the growth and retention of female sales staff across Japan, she volunteered to lead Sekisui House's newly established Women's Advancement Promotion Group.

"The environments these women worked in and the challenges they faced were all different," she explains. "I kept asking myself, 'Are they truly receiving the support and development they need?' Until then, my focus had always been on helping customers directly. But I came to realize that by supporting female sales staff, I could indirectly support all of their customers, too."

Expanding Diversity and Inclusion

Her efforts soon expanded beyond gender, and Ito became a key driver of broader diversity initiatives. These included mandatory paternity leave for men and workplace accommodations for employees undergoing medical treatment. She worked to ensure Sekisui House could be a place where everyone could thrive, regardless of their circumstances.

In the spring of 2025, Ito retired from Sekisui House after decades of dedicated service. She now continues her mission as a board member of the general incorporated association Expo 2025 Sakuyahime Congress — a group of female business leaders committed to improving lives.

"It [the association] began with recipients of the first Osaka Sakuyahime Award, established in 2016 by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry to honor outstanding female leaders," Ito explains.

"Led by Kayoko Fujimoto, CEO of the Fujimoto Yume Group, the group includes many influential women. We've formed deep bonds by openly sharing our challenges and how we've overcome them."

Giving Back to Osaka and Beyond

The group was launched as a consortium in 2019 and became a general incorporated association in 2023.

"We've been able to continue thanks to the support of so many people," Ito says. "I've always wanted to give back to my hometown, Osaka."

At Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the group is leading three key initiatives. One of them is the Sakuya Wolf Project, which features 10 wolf-shaped benches created by artist Tomoko Konoike. These benches are installed at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion.

Looking to the future, Ito says, "After the Expo, we plan to lend these benches to various locations free of charge. We want to use art to inspire and uplift communities."

But Ito emphasizes that her focus goes beyond women to include broader diversity. "Ms Konoike reminded us that even the term 'women's empowerment' can sometimes create divisions," she explains. "Our goal is to support everyone, not just women. Through connection, we hope to help build a future rooted in well-being at its core."

About Sekisui House

Founded in 1960, Sekisui House is one of Japan's leading homebuilders. In recent years, the company has expanded its global presence, particularly in the United States, with a focus on detached housing.

For the fiscal year ending January 2025, Sekisui House reported sales of ¥4.0585 trillion JPY (around $27.9 billion USD). As of January 2025, the company employed 15,664 people on a standalone basis, including 3,320 licensed first-class architects.

(Read the interview in Japanese.)

Interview by: Naomi Yasuda, The Sankei Shimbun

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