Women's Rights

[Gabanz]

Originally Posted by imiss

Well, theres your problem, that was 20+ years ago maybe

yes i agree i went there and theres no complaints

[Paul11]

Originally Posted by MMM

Really? Subjected to being just stay-at-home moms, more Japanese women choose to not be moms at all. Calling a women "Christmas Cake" (unmarried by age 25) was common in the 80s. Now most people under 40 don't know what that term means. Hence the "greying of Japan" as families go from an average of +2.5 children (growing society) to -1.5 (shrinking society). The population in Japan peaked in 2006, and a lot of the reason for that is 1) economy but also 2) women flexing their rights.

I agree with you , but I misread something earlier in the thread. Never mind the "It hasn't changed..." comment.

[Wednesday]

Looking at the laws Japan is probably one of the most liberal states for women. But I've heard of traditions that still exists like that a man never shakes his hand with a woman or that the women have to bow longer before a man.

I don't like the fact that the Japanese Emperor still has to be male. Aiko ought to be the successor. She was the first child and probably she is tough enough for the job!

[Wasabista]

The notion that women are "discriminated against," in Japan or any other advanced country, is problematic and misleading. It's a big topic and I'll just leave it at that for now. But, to answer the question about women in the workplace, I can answer based on recent observations in the Kanto area.

In smaller companies at least, the traditional role of the woman as chakumi (tea-pourer) seems to be falling by the wayside. Instead, pouring tea (and coffee, which is more popular nowadays), it's the new face (shinjin) who serves refreshments -- and only when customers visit. When no customers are present, everyone just gets their own, but women probably end up making the coffee a bit more than the boys.

Just my own observations.

[Henbaka]

Differences are interesting though. Tell women they should make coffee more often than men in a workplace in my country, and they'd go thru the roof!

[MMM]

Put it this way, the women make the coffee not because they are forced to, but because the men don't know how to make it.

[Wasabista]

It's also true that an entry-level job is still viewed, by both sexes, as an audition for marriage, so many ladies want to show that they have that homemaking touch. And the gents, of course, do nothing to discourage them.

[noodle]

Originally Posted by MMM

Put it this way, the women make the coffee not because they are forced to, but because the men don't know how to make it.

Don't know how to make tea or coffee?.........................

[Excessum]

Originally Posted by noodle

Don't know how to make tea or coffee?.........................

I think he meant it in a generalized sense by describing the preparation of food as such.

To be honest i have never thought of Japan as a place where the women's rights are being oppressed, mostly due to the fact that they have more of a hive* mentality where everyone (both males and females) are playing their role for the "greater good"*.

*intended hyperbole.

[Paul11]

My wife faced much more demeaning type of sexism from people in the states than in Japan. People here and in the company she worked for assumed she was a subservient Japanese woman and acted on that stereotype.

An yes, most older Japanese men can hardly make coffee. My father-in-law just learned how to make cup ramen recently at 57 years of age. But he works like a dog six days at his own company to provide for his family. Yeah, he demands a lot from his wife, but he gives a lot, too.