[April 1: 40 Years of Equal Opportunity Act & Revised Women's Participation Act] Current Status: 41% of Working Women in 30s-40s Consider Job Change, 80% Pursue Self-Investment

Waris Co., Ltd. (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Co-Representatives: Fumika Yonekura, Miwa Tanaka, Kyoko Kawa; hereinafter Waris), an HR service company that supports everyone's authentic life through assistance with diverse work styles for women, introduces the "current standing" of women in their 30s and 40s through survey results on "job satisfaction" and "career outlook" looking back on the past 40 years, ahead of April 1, 2026, which marks the 40th anniversary of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act and the implementation of the revised Act on the Promotion of Women's Active Participation in their Professional Lives, making the disclosure of "ratio of female managers" and "gender wage gap" mandatory even for companies with 101 or more employees.

In this survey, behind the "numbers" chased by companies, the proactive will of women seeking a "flexible career" that can change shape according to life events, rather than a linear career tailored to organizational logic, was highlighted.

■ 40 Years of History Regarding 'Women x Work'

■ [Survey Results] The 'Real Intentions' and 'Actions' of Women in Their 30s-40s Seen Through Data

### 1. [Career Direction] 'External Challenges' over 'Internal Promotion'. 41.3% Aim for Job Changes As for future directions, compared to "Aiming for promotion/management (19.6%)", those aiming for "Job change/Career change (41.3%)" and "Side jobs/Parallel careers (36.6%)" stand out. It shows a desire for a "flexible career" that adapts to life events rather than a continuous career demanded by organizations.

### 2. The Deciding Factor for Job Satisfaction is 'Flexible Working Styles'. On the Other Hand, Distrust in Evaluations The biggest reason for those satisfied with their current jobs (Satisfied/Somewhat satisfied: 57.1%) is environmental: "Balancing work and family became physically easier" due to the introduction of remote work, etc. On the other hand, dissatisfied groups (Dissatisfied/Somewhat dissatisfied: 20.2%) cite the opacity of the evaluation system and resistance to the recent "return to office" trend.