女性贫困

by ＮＨＫ「女性の貧困」取材班, NHK特别节目录制组, 李颖 (Translator)

本书由日本NHK电视台特别报道组所制作的《看不见明天--越来越严重的年轻女性之贫困》等节目集结而成，重点关注女性与儿童贫困、单亲母子家庭及贫困的代际传递等在日本日益严重的社会问题，非常值得中国读者了解、反思并引以为戒。

Genres: Feminism, China, Japan

170 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2017

Reviews

[Hazel P · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s the very first book I read on poverty issue in Japan, with a special lens of focus on females, and the stories complied in the book stem from a documentary by NHK of the same name. Discovering the extent of the poverty issue in Japan and how the labor system falls short in supporting females was genuinely shocking. When housewives no longer rely on husbands and try to return to workplaces, the opportunities available to them are severely limited. And what’s making things worse is it’s unlikely for them to secure permanent roles anymore, due to age restrictions, and the burden of handling household chores independently. In Japan, temporary workers earn significantly less than their permanent counterparts. Another thing I noted that's similar to the U.S. is that there's no sufficient childcare available to single mothers, sometimes placing women in a financially more difficult situation if they work more hours, due to the increasing spending on childcare.

And there are also a couple of stories focusing on underaged kids living in internet cafe for its low rent. I was shocked they were not in schools by law, nor there was any support from government at least in the stories included in the book. And in one example, a girl in her early twenties aimed to attend nursing school with government funding, only to find the financial support insufficient to cover her entire education. As a result, she had to juggle multiple jobs to repay the accumulating school debt. Schooling, and the education program initiated by the government to support the underprivileged, ironically, put her into a more difficult situation.

Another chapter sheds light on the observation by the filming team that "the sex industry replaces the society's insufficient welfare system to house homeless females." Some businesses offer childcare services (after negotiating with local government) that make them attractive options for single mothers entering the sex industry. This example serves as a powerful critique of Japan's welfare system.

Towards the book's conclusion, the filming team acknowledges that, by concentrating on illustrating how poverty impacts females and real examples, they fell short in proposing substantial solutions in the documentary.

** Another detail that captured me was the filming team describing how females experiencing ongoing poverty would dress meticulously and have makeup done, resembling other females. I surmise that cultural factors contribute to the reluctance of females in Japan to seek assistance from the government or social organizations.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a non-fiction about women in poverty.

I knew this book was going to be quite heavy and depressing, but it did give me a lot of new insights about poverty, and its causes and effects. One thing I learned was that poverty is not always as explicitly shown as we think, in fact, many young girls that were interviewed dressed very decently, not at all like the stereotypical, shabby appearance that we might expect of the poor.
Some girls in the book were close to my age or even younger. It was heart-breaking to know that while I got to study in school and enjoy student-life during my teens, they struggled just to get a meal to eat, while working multiple part-time jobs and even spending nights at internet cafes because they couldn’t afford to rent an apartment.
In this way, the book discussed deep issues using simple language and a collection of real-life stories, so that poverty is no longer a distant concept, but something that the readers can see, feel and touch. It was shocking both to the reporters and myself, to see how prevalent poverty is, even in a seemingly wealthy country like Japan.

This book made me reflect upon the existing policies in our society, especially that of social-welfare. Clearly, a lot of policies still do not provide sufficient support to women in need, and because of various criteria, many are even excluded from the government's social-welfare programs, and struggle to survive at the fringes of society. Thus, reformations on the current policies are needed to truly fight poverty. It is crucial that the government hear the voices of these women and get to know their stories, so that they are not simply passing laws that have no de facto influence, but to really come up with suitable plans.

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

可能因为是纪录片笔记的缘故，可读性非常一般，可就算语言简单到比小组热帖都不如，其中所描绘的真实存在的恐怖故事才显得更加恐怖。国内的白领玻璃天花板已经是老生常谈，这两年也开始越来越多地注意到工地上从事重体力劳动、没有保障、干得比男工好且细致，不吵不闹，依然拿的比男的少的中年女性——真的，女人，太好吃了，又便宜又听话，不听话也可以打一顿。在这个给女厕放免费互助卫生巾都要被一些贱Y百般嘲讽的社会，女性的贫困不是隐形的贫困，就是摆在社会面前社会却选择看不见的贫困，都是千年的父权制，搁这跟谁玩弄阶级矛盾呢。

[Lordoftaipo · Rating 5 out of 5]

日本朝頭早同夜晚黑係兩個世界，就好似啲人話日本人表裡不一咁，至會令到地下產業之多籮籮，亦因為有呢種矛盾，旅途都多變起嚟。日前Facebook上面有港男就問，老婆仔女大阪行程定好咗，網民有冇攻略俾自己，講緊去飛田新地召妓。當然唔排除係開玩笑，畢竟近年脂粉客最津津樂道嘅，莫過於新宿深巷中嘅大久保公園。

公園周邊每日一到時間，妙齡女子就會紛至沓來，漫不經心地正宗「企街」。城中傳聞，佢地出了名係新宿二丁目嘅牛郎店常客，有人因為都市壓力而借酒消愁，有人就喺絲微醉醺感之間，成功由呢班皮笑肉不笑嘅陪酒員身上，搵到戀愛滋味。書入面雖然唔係探討呢個族群，但係同樣都係因為缺錢而賣身。

你必須承認風俗業無可奈何地，做咗日本邊緣女性嘅社會安全網。儘管受訪嘅馬伕講到幾頭頭是道，又幫跌入火坑嘅女子訂立賺快錢嘅期限，但我深明，一切只係公關技倆同糖衣外表。呢啲「派遣」公司，既提供食宿，又提供托兒服務，如果市政府有把關未婚孕母呢一環，相信佢地就唔使倚靠啲扭曲嘅產業，一日先賺得四萬日圓。

2010年日本調查顯示，母子單親家庭年收入為二百二十三萬日圓，換句話講，多數單親媽媽都未出此下策。然而佢地面臨嘅問題又點止錢，安排細路就讀幼稚園都唔易。作為無業嘅佢地，學校有權拒絕收生；一旦全職，學校又可以話你唔得閒接放學，真係神又係佢，鬼又係佢。結果真係俾節目組發現宅居網吧嘅一家三口，三母女，兩個女仔居然係無學可上，阿媽對採訪就無可奉告，活生生一宗跨代貧窮嘅悲劇。

再講一啲驚人嘅數字，OECD喺2014年發表嘅報告顯示，日本單親家庭兒童貧窮率以50.8%力壓一眾成員國。教育費雖無節節上升，但係隨著升學人口不停增加，職位卻僧多粥少，2012年一共新增三十六萬個本科及研究生，但係全國八成女性就業率中，居然有半數以上係散工，全職人工只有男性嘅八成。喺社會隱患同疲弱經濟重重拉扯之下，任憑普查得知近九成男性及女性都打算遲早結婚，偏偏日本個倒三角人口結構就揚威國際。連匡扶意外懷孕女性都搞唔掂，而睇唔到未來嘅二人家庭亦唔會生，日本政府面對新一代，恐怕要諗諗點樣安定同教化。

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

是本好书，让读者认识到了社会上存在的，但被忽略的问题。但是，如果你想看很严肃的学术的分析，可能要失望了，这本书只写了事情的表面，但没有深入的分析。不过对于一个采访组来讲，已经很有深度了。还是推荐这本书。

[Yvonne123 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only state the phenomena, but no further analysis and suggestions to solve the problem

[Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

《女性贫困》（日）NHK特别节目录制组 合著。

贫富差距，出生牌，境遇……无论处于什么样的境地，请一定不要放弃努力和怀抱希望。只能全力以付，勇敢坚强的生活。总是抱怨、不珍惜生活的时候，希望能好好反省下身在福中不知福的自己。

[Ye · Rating 5 out of 5]

一口气在书店读完，NHK的记者总让我对比国内许多人都更有同理心，但在这样的温情下的残酷现实才更加触目惊心。“贫困不仅指的是没有钱，也指缺乏教育和信息”。我觉得作者有让我了解到更多信息，也能用同理心解释那些与读者可能有一些距离的状况。

[Mr.Shore · Rating 3 out of 5]

这是直接把NHK深度调查节目的旁白整理成了一本书？在电视上看有画面辅助也许这旁白没有硬伤，但是以一本书的标准来看深度和文采都严重不足。

[junyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

难以想象在自己短浅目光触及不到的地方有多少为生存而挣扎的人们

[Lucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

虽然作者并未直接指出，但根据书中所记录的来看，日本的性服务派遣公司实际从结果上承担了一部分本应属于家庭、学校与政府的责任，并且这一讽刺的社会状况距离我们不过七、八年光景，而在疫情之下日本关闭国门的两年里，很可能会有更多女性的生活滑向不可逆转的境地，成为被生锈的社会结构锁入贫困之中的又一代。

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

will be very much helpful if you want to understand the impact of giving birth to a baby on a female, especially a female in the Asian society.

[Cissy Choy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

书评晚些补上
（大概会补上。。吧？）

[王棕 · Rating 3 out of 5]

@微信读书

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

很警示 在德国也是短期工越来越多的情况下 找到自己的出路 不做穷忙族

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

日本人好像是什么新物种 不像是人类 毕竟智人是有性繁殖的 日本人跟无性繁殖的一样 整本书都不忍心责怪一句那些不负责任的男人 说是隔靴搔痒都有点抬举了

[Wenjing Fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

作为纪实文学来说有点普通，虽然没看过纪录片，但感觉应该只是文字版的纪录片补充了一些片花。拍摄的人如何思考、如何突破结构性因素、我们能做什么似乎都没有提到。另外作为一个女性相关的作品也“性别视角不足”，stereotype严重，有点难以忍受。希望进一步的调查会有新的深度吧～

[Bcqk2023 · Rating 1 out of 5]

女权说女人不要服美役，要脱性缘etc，总被说是女爹，看了这本书，还骂女权，那就只能尊重祝福了。
2024年3月，补充评论。
隐约记得里面有说家庭为单位交税会比个人少，但是女男不同工同酬，导致女性会选择做家庭主妇，恶心的社会。
有一个女大学生很上进很努力，节目组的记者对她的夸奖是你将来会是一位好妻子，呵呵，垃圾日本文化，对女人的夸奖就是一位好妻子。
还有一个是色情业，说是有拖儿所之类的，呵呵，大无语。
还有是里面的女的都要精致，拜托，本来收入就低，还大部分都用来服美役，所谓的“精致”“体面”“礼貌”，这才是存不来钱的原因吧。恶心社会文化。
我记得好多是沾了性缘才贫困的吧，未婚怀孕，有了孩子，然后人生一眼看到头。

[Zeitgeist · Rating 3 out of 5]

此书里的代际贫困所着墨的对象是家庭暴力，虐待，破裂，丧夫导致的单身女性，可以说是社会下层女性，日本社会中传统男尊女卑的统治思想继而体现在生活工作的方方面面，给失去男人支持的女性想要自力更生莫大的阻碍，母亲的贫困传递给子女时，政府也未加以干涉，正如NHK里记者所说，一个努力求上进的女性不应该获得如此下场

[LeslyKL · Rating 5 out of 5]

an unexpected painful book which reflects the severe situations of poverty single-mother families of Japan.
worth reading and meditation deeply.

[Palama]

只有原因，没有现象。我来告诉作者，造成女性贫困的原因：蝻权社会

[流川枫 · Rating 3 out of 5]

看的时候很难过，那些年轻的女孩一个个生活窘迫又疲惫，而且她们甚至都是发达国家的公民，怎么会生活在绝望之中，虽然是将近十年前的事，也不知道如今的日本社会到底有没有变得更好，当初那些女孩生活有没有改善。其中一个单亲妈妈说“因为孩子所以她才会像现在这样努力”，真的好乐观又好伟大，希望她能幸福。