Kim Kyung-Hoon/REUTERS
The Global Gender Gap Report is published annually by the World Economic Forum. This report shows the gaps between men and women in four categories and it is shown that Japan ranked 125th, dropping 9 places compared to 2022.
The status of women in Japan rose extremely rapidly in the 1960s with the feminist movement, but it also fell with the bubble economy. In recent years, although many feminist campaigners have been fighting for women's emancipation, the results have not been significant.
The improvement of women's social status in postwar Japan was due to external factors such as the initial Allied policy of emancipating women and the influence of the international trend of women's emancipation on Japan, but most importantly, the economic strength of women after they were employed. The improvement of women's education level, which was an important leverage for their employment, was also a factor in the improvement of women's employment in Japan after the war.
However, the collapse of the Japanese bubble economy in the late 1980s led to a prolonged economic downturn in Japan. As companies laid off employees, national income decreased, and consumption was low, these women experienced the desolation that comes after prosperity.
In the Japanese labour market, there is an "M-curve", which is observed from the golden age of the economy and indicates that the employment rate of women reaches a peak after graduation, and then there is a downward curve when they reach the age of marriage and quit the labour market, and then there is another peak when they return to the labour market around the age of middle age like about 44-49.
They experienced brutal competition during their school years and met the "employment ice age" when they graduated. In the face of the harsh reality, most of them choose to fit this "M-curve" employment model, as example, they join the workforce after graduating from school, get married, withdraw from the labour market during the child-rearing period, and re-enter the labour market after their children enter primary school or secondary school.
Their dreams for marriage and family also tend to be realistic, and they no longer identify as good man with high education, high salary and high stature, but hope to find a man who has a stable career, can do housework, and respects and cares for his wife.
According to my research and reading, traditional gender roles and the lack of work-life balance support are the two main hindrances that contribute to the employment of women in Japanese society.
Women are expected to perform the majority of caring and domestic duties according to traditional gender roles and societal norms. Because of this societal expectation, women are often expected to put their family obligations ahead of their employment goals.
During my stay in Japan, I have witnessed numerous occurrences of a Japanese woman walking with her husband, carrying a child in front of her and pushing a stroller containing two other children. A large bag, presumably containing food and daily necessities for the three children, is also being carried. This woman is often seen wearing thick clothing in winter, which may hinder her movements while walking. At times, she stops to tidy up her children's clothes to ensure that they do not catch a cold. This observation has left me with much contemplation on the weight of the responsibilities placed on Japanese women. The husband's role in this dynamic often appears ‘invisible’, as he walks with ease and may display impatience.
The Japanese work ethic is renowned for its commitment to one's career and long hours. It's hard for women to juggle job and family obligations because of the demanding workplace. The problem is made worse by the lack of affordable childcare options, flexible work schedules, and working parent support networks.
In addition, women in Japan frequently encounter obstacles to work progression, and the lack of career advancement chances made it harder for them to pursue their aspirations. Women's access to decision-making positions and prospects for professional advancement is hampered by the prevalence of male leadership roles and traditional ideas of leadership.
We can see from The Global Gender Gap Report that Japan's political empowerment is ranked 139th, the lowest score of the four programs. The discrimination that women face in the workplace is a pervasive and longstanding problem. Many companies won’t hire newly married women because of the potential expense it may cause is a clear example of gendered Oppression and discrimination. This practice assumes that women are solely responsible for household duties and childcare and that these responsibilities will interfere with their ability to work. This assumption is based on gender stereotypes and reinforces the idea that women's place is in the home rather than in the workplace.
Avenues of oppression, as identified by Iris Marion Young, include economic exploitation, social/cultural marginalization, political powerlessness, cultural imperialism, and violence. Specific tools of oppression include implicit biases, stereotyping, silencing, and objectification. This discrimination is invisible, making it difficult to identify and address. However, the consequences of this discrimination can be severe, limiting women's opportunities for advancement and perpetuating social and economic inequality.
In a political sense, being free or having liberty can be understood in different ways. One distinction that is often made is between negative liberty and positive liberty, as proposed by the philosopher Isaiah Berlin in his essay "Two Concepts of Liberty": negative liberty refers to the absence of external constraints or interference in an individual's actions. This means that individuals are free to act as they please without the threat of coercion or oppression from external forces. Negative liberty is often associated with a minimalist government that seeks to limit its interference in the lives of its citizens.
In this context, if a society prevents women from entering the workplace in various ways, then we can say that women have lost part of their negative liberty in the country.
I believe that forming alliances with other oppressed groups can be a potent means of overcoming oppression and bringing about real change. A collective voice that is more powerful than the voices of the various oppressed populations can be created when they band together and work toward shared objectives. A group's collective voice has the potential to strengthen bonds amongst oppressed groups and pressure those in positions of authority to take action. Resistance can take many different forms when it comes to oppression and discrimination against women in the workplace, such as promoting policy changes that advance gender equality, increasing awareness of the problem, and encouraging and empowering other women.
On the other hand, I think it is necessary to guarantee a certain number of seats in the government for women, but this approach can only be achieved in more developed areas and requires a lot of educational resources to back it up. Historically women's rights have been earned through countless sacrifices, and this world still have a long way to go to get a women-friendly society.
I believe that a country wants to be prosperity must have a good balance between men and women. And it is also necessary to propose more policies that benefit women to keep them in the country, so that they do not live under the fear of male domination is the most basic of a civilised society.
In summary, I believe that members of oppressed groups, including women, have an obligation to resist their own oppression in ways that are appropriate to their situation. This obligation arises from the recognition that every human being has inherent dignity and worth and that oppression undermines this dignity and the ultimate goal of resistance is to seek justice and equity for all. Negative liberty is important for a just and free society, and individuals have the right to act freely without external constraints or interference.
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