What is feminism in Japan?

Many of you may have heard of feminism, but what does it remind you of when you hear the word? Feminism is necessary for achieving women’s wellness, but it is hard to define, as there are diverse ways of perceiving it depending on the country and time. This article explains the history of feminism in Japan and its place in today’s society.

Feminism began with women seeking equal civil rights with men

Feminism was born in western countries from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. In Japan, the movement for women’s suffrage began around the 1870s, and women won the right to vote after World War II.

Around the mid-1970s, women’s studies started spreading in Japan. Simultaneously, one of the pioneers of women’s studies, Chizuko Ueno, became interested in feminism after experiencing patriarchal gender discrimination during her involvement in the student movement.

Ueno has been a leading figure in Japanese feminism since then. She has been active in various fields and has received as much disapproval for her radical statements as support for them.

Feminist hatred is on the rise on the internet in Japan

Today, feminist movements are growing on the internet, as in many other countries. For the past few years, the KuToo movement that protested to stop forcing women to wear specific items against their will has been a hot topic. As the KuToo movement’s opponents argue, some people reject feminists who strongly advocate for women’s rights.

According to a survey targeting men, 42.8% of those aged 18 to 30, 39.1% of those aged 31 to 50, and 31.7% of those aged 51-70 agreed when asked whether they dislike feminists.

In addition, more than half of all respondents insisted that it is more difficult for men to live in a society in recent years. This result may relate to rules designed for women, such as “Ladies’ Day,” a discount system for women, and “women-only carriages,” which prevent molestation. In response to these rules, we often see complaints from men that only women can receive preferential treatment and from women that they feel sorry for men.

Unconscious bias exposed by feminist controversy

Globally, feminism is changing into a movement that aims to create a society where everyone can be themselves, regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or any other differences.

In Japan, there is a growing movement to realize diversity. However, when it comes to feminism, most people currently regard it as a mindset that ignores men’s rights in favor of women’s rights.

It may be because some Japanese are unaware that gender discrimination exists in society since sexism is still deeply rooted compared to other countries. Even those who consider themselves feminists may have initially started out seeking equal rights, but without realizing it, they may have been using words that condemn men.

Now that feminist hatred is on the rise, we all need to be aware of the possibility that we have unconscious biases which cause discrimination. Remember that feminism is originally a movement for realizing gender equality. Redefining feminism as needed rather than creating a gender divide can lead us to a better future for all.