Sayaka Tanaka is a social entrepreneur and policy influencer driving systemic gender equity in Japan’s digital economy. Working at the intersection of gender equality, digital transformation and public policy, she addresses structural barriers that prevent women and gender minorities from accessing technology-driven economic opportunities.

Japan, currently ranking 125th out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report, serves as a critical case study for advanced economies grappling with persistent gender inequality in STEM fields. Since 2017, Tanaka has led initiatives that redesign pathways into the digital economy, beginning with inclusive programming education for girls and gender minority middle and high school students and extending to national-level policy engagement.

At the age of 28, she founded Waffle.org, one of Japan’s leading organizations tackling the gender gap in technology. Waffle.org bridges grassroots education with systemic change by combining hands-on programming education, corporate collaboration and policy advocacy aimed at addressing the structural roots of gender disparity. Under Tanaka’s leadership, the organization has influenced discussions across government, industry and media on how inclusive digital skills are essential to economic competitiveness in aging societies.

Tanaka’s expertise is recognized through advisory roles with the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, where she contributes to shaping policies on gender equality and digital talent development. She also serves on women’s empowerment advisory boards for global companies including Indeed and L’Oréal Japan, supporting efforts to embed gender equity within corporate strategy.

In 2024, Tanaka was the youngest delegate of W20 JAPAN, the official G20 engagement group on women’s economic empowerment, contributing to policy recommendations at the international level. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Japan SDGs Award, presented by the Prime Minister, and selection to Forbes JAPAN 30 Under 30.

Beyond institutional impact, Tanaka is committed to shaping cultural narratives around women and technology. In 2023, Waffle.org published Me x IT = The Strongest Theory, a practical guide empowering girls and gender minorities to pursue careers in IT.

Tanaka brings a practitioner’s perspective on how gender equity, digital skills and policy reform can jointly accelerate inclusive growth—offering insights highly relevant to global discussions on the future of work, technology governance and economic resilience.