-vs- U.S.

Japan
 Japan -vs- U.S.

 127 million 301 million

 Female / Male Female / Male

 65 million/62 million 153 million/148 million

 Density

 Japan -vs- U.S.

 342 people/km2 33 people/km2

 70/km2 - Hokkaido 3.7/km2 - ND

 6029/km2 - Tokyo 10425/km2 - NY city

 2009 Japan U.S.

 Overall Crimes: 1.7 million 10.6 million

 Homicide: 1,094 15,200

 Robbery: 1,094 15,200

 Rape: 1,094 15,200

 • According to a survey, 60 percent of Tokyo
women polled said they had experienced some
form of sexual assault ranging from verbal
abuse to rape.

 • A sexual assault expert reporting for the

New York Times stated, “In Japan, there is a
rape myth, which says that the victim of rape is
always to blame. If you talk about it to anyone
else, you are going to be tainted for the rest of
your life.” Many rapes go unreported, when
reported, law enforcement does little and the
women victimized then become regarded as
dirty.
 • Perpetrators of sexual assaults often go
unpunished. One American woman, molested
by a Japanese man went to police. The man
was arrested but police encouraged her not to
press charges because he was a first time
offender and he supported his parents.

 • After a gang rape occurred at a Tokyo

university, one Member of Parliament
remarked, “Boys who commit group rape are
in good shape. I think they are rather normal.
Whoops, I shouldn’t have said that.”
 Japan’s Educational System is similar to our own.

 o Six years of Elementary School

 o Three years of Lower Level Secondary School
 o Three years of Upper Level Secondary School
 o A Vocational Ed and Undergraduate Program
 o A Graduate Program

 Japan’s school year starts in April and ends in March.

 2009 Japan U.S.

 Secondary Ed Grads: 95% 74.7%

 Tertiary Grads:

 Women: 33 million 41.3 million

 Men: 22 million 36.8 million

 “Women’s gains in educational attainment have significantly

outpaced those of men over the last 40 years.”
 In 2009,


o Women made up 42% of the labor market in Japan.

o Only 48.5% of women participated in the labor force.

o The highest rate of participation for women was

77.2% for those aged 25-29

o Comparatively 98.1% of men aged 30-39 were in

the labor force, their highest rate.
 Women Workers by Occupation – 2009
 In 2010,
o Men’s wages were over 30% higher than women’s.

o Only 10% of business-critical positions were held

by women.

o Women made up only 4% of CEOs and 1.4% of

Board Directors.

o 13% of seats in parliament were held by women.

o Time Spent on housework and child care by
Japanese men is at the lowest level globally.

o In 2009, Japan ranked 57th on the Gender

Empowerment Measure.

o Japan scored 94 out of 130 countries on the 2010

Global Gender Gap, 101 in 2009.

o The World Economic Forum’s Corporate Gender

Gap Report ranked Japan 102nd for gap in
economic participation and 107th for political
empowerment.
o What’s a Yuri? What’s a Yoi?

o Homosexuals are not persecuted or condemned.

Eroki referring to homosexuality…

“Japanese peoples aren’t as up tight as the US”

o Same sex marriages are not allowed.

o Some conservative individuals find

homosexuality to be disgusting.

o Most homosexuals chose to stay in the closet.

o Kissing and other public displays of affection

are seen as impolite.
o Mythological Origins.

o Emperors Divine Connection.

o Shinto religion views sex as divine.

o Dharmachari Jñanavira; Another Kimmel?

o Jñanavira uses Foucault in homosexual study of Japan

Cons:
o Japan needs to narrow the gender gap.

o Attitudes on “Rape Myth” need to change.

Pros:
o Tolerant nature toward homosexuality.
In closing, a J-Pop song recommended by Eroki, Still Doll.