Would Japanese people agree with this?
 

USATODAY.com - No sex please we're Japanese


this was written in 2004-- I wonder if it is true or typical.

I am not keen on statistics in general.

I would tentatively agree with the article.....

TENTATIVELY

After reading a book written by a former Japanese correspondent for a British media outlet... I kinda think that articles written in the west about Japan are exaggerated and quite frankly... better off in the trash can. (The book is called "How to Japan" I dont remember the authors name)

It makes sense but I dont think it speaks for everyone.

Im at a Japanese university and university students it seems are as active as their western counterparts when it comes to women.

True or not, it had me chuckling.

In the 1970's there was a very popular comic stage play "No Sex Please, We're British". And it has since been made into a movie.

;)

Staying in a seaside hotel with a girl and not making a move? That's like ordering a burger and throwing away the patty. But, there are actually some people who don't like meat, and I think there is a grain of truth in the story too, just vastly exaggerated. The main cause of the decline in the marriage and birth rate is most likely the economy, imo.

Funny the title is a parody of a British play from the 70's when UK's economy was in a quagmire. I was in the UK in the early 90's, also an economic low time, and I have been secretly thinking that the stifled atmosphere Japan has right now is similar to the one I saw in the UK back then.

I always seem to pull experiences from my life that contradict these types of articles, but I've noticed a LOT of marriages and births in my area. As a matter of fact, the number of students per classroom has started to increase a little bit. Given there are some areas that are still kind of spiraling downward population wise in the prefecture, in my general area people seem to be quite healthy- in that sense.

My wife attributed it to the fact that we live in the inaka, so there isn't much to do entertainment wise... and plus the economy isn't too good. I'm sure you can figure what the equation consists of, but what it equates to is more kids :p .

To be honest though, I find that article hard to believe in the sense that I don't think that kind of thing happens too often at all. Men are men pretty much no matter what nationality they are, so I think that most guys wouldn't end up in the situation that was written about.

As a side note, how would the article account for all the "love hotels" around Japan? (which there are quite a few of). I know it's been a few years since that articles been written, but I think now-a-days what you're seeing a lot of is the 出来ちゃった結婚 (which means that the girl got pregnant so there's gonna be a marriage for that reason).

I don't blame Japanese women for not marrying much anymore. You have to give up a lot of things just to be stuck with someone who doesn't do anything for you. Independence is bliss. Except if you don't have your own place and you're leeching off your parents. :)

ah yukisuke-- BUT marriage can be so fulfilling with the right person. I have been married for almost fifty years-- we are still together and share many interests and have wonderful children and grandchildren. It is giving rather than taking-- that makes it worthwhile.

I think the whole marriage thing (in Japan) has a lot of different causes. If you really look into it you'll see that there are many factors that people believe have lead to what we see today. You could write a book contemplating all of those factors to be quite honest.

Actually, what I understand is that the new generations of married couples in Japan are starting to spread work more evenly between both spouses. Though this seems to be the trend in a lot of places, not just japan. It's anecdotal of course, but when I was in Fukuoka this summer the women's english class had three students (probably about 30, 45 and 60 if I had to ballpark their ages), and the two older women showed some surprise that the youngest student's husband did chores around the house. Also, from personal experience (not with marriage, but relationships) I'd say don't knock it till you've tried it (or found the right person).