Ayaka Saito, 35, a full-time employee at ship parts manufacturer Ena Seisakusho in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, is busy perfecting a lathe to plane a piece of metal to complete a part for a large ship. It’s a moment that gives her a sense of accomplishment.
Saito, who is raising a 1-year-old child, is one of a growing number of women returning to work after giving birth. Despite facing obstacles in her job search, she was eager to acquire specialized skills that would allow her to work the way she wanted.
She had quit her job as an administrative assistant at a tutoring school when she got married in June 2021. In January of this year, she was hired by Ena Seisakusho.
