Gender Roles In Japan Case Study

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The division of gender roles within a traditional Japanese family unit stems from the ideal form (ie) established since Japan started as largely an agrarian society (lmamura 1990). Women, believed to be more suited for a more caring and nurturing role, “naturally” take on reproductive and child-rearing work in most traditional households. On the other hand, employment is associated with physical labour and hard work which males are traditionally defined to engage in so as to support the family financially.
Wulansari (2014) argues that despite the increasing participation of women in workplaces, “the traditional division of roles – ‘women at home and men at work’ - has not changed much.” This proposition highlighted a biased perception which …show more content…

As a result, these men, well aware of the need to over-work so as to qualify for career advancement opportunities in the period of a long stagnant economy, would not mind taking on housework and child rearing duties full-time while allowing their wives to pursue her career (Hidaka 2010). In addition, there is an increasing trend of women to participating in politics and in workplaces in their pursuit for greater financial independence for themselves or extra income to support the family. Thus, the emergence of such trends, complementing each other, where men are willing to switch gender roles with their wives indicate that the traditional division of household roles is …show more content…

Sathyanarayana, and Vishal Indla. 2010. 'Work, Family Or Personal Life: Why Not All Three?'. Indian Journal Of Psychiatry 52 (4): 295-297. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3025152/.
Sato, Kumi. 2013. 'Overhaul Japan's Immigration Laws To Boost Working Women'. Japantimes.Co.Jp. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/05/30/commentary/japan-commentary/overhaul-japans-immigration-laws-to-boost-working-women/#.VEH02fmSx8F.
The Economist,. 2008. 'Sayonara, Salaryman'. http://www.economist.com/node/10424391.
The Economist,. 2014. 'Holding Back Half The Nation'. http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21599763-womens-lowly-status-japanese-workplace-has-barely-improved-decades-and-country.
Wickramasinghe, Yasas, and Marya Bower. 2012. 'Challenging The Traditional Salaryman Masculinity In Neo-Liberal Japan: Exploring The Development Of Alternative Masculinities And Challenges To The Hegemonic Salaryman Masculinity'.
Wulansari, Sri Ayu. 'GENDER INEQUALITY PERCEPTION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF WOMEN IN JAPAN AND INDONESIA'.
Yamazaki, Tomoko, and Komaki Ito. 2014. 'Japanese Men Bringing Up Babies Aim To Send Wives To Work'. Bloomberg.

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