Contemporary Portraits of Japanese Women

by Yukiko Tanaka

As Japan shifted from an agricultural country before 1950 to an industrialized nation in less time than any other developed country, women felt the pressure of the shift. Husbands worked longer hours, leaving all the household chores and child rearing to their wives while fulfilling their responsibilites as corporate soldiers. The economy was fueled by a diligent, well-educated, low-paid workforce, but gender role division became even more rigid. Household incomes rose and improvement in areas such as diets, transportation, and leisure were made; modern appliances also made it possible for mothers to have part-time jobs. But pollution also rose, as did prices, and crowded living conditions began to impinge on family life. Tanaka, who has spent many years looking back at her country from an American perspective, examines marriage, motherhood, employment, independence, women's movements, and old age for women in Japan over the last 50 years.

Genres: Japan

200 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1995

Reviews

[Justyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good beginning. An introduction into general problems and issues Japanese women are facing. The downside of the book is definitely its publishing date, it will only give readers information until mid-nineties. It's written in a style that's very easy to read and contains many personal stories from women of different ages.