John Yamamoto-Wilson wrote:

> Ernest Schaal wrote:

> > I agree that an "aging population" is a looming crisis, but that is due in
> > large part to the sexism that remains dominant in Japanese society.
>
> I wouldn't disagree out of hand, and am probably as upset as you are at the
> waste of human resources I see here in Japan. Even so, the fact that a few
> right-wing politicians have their heads stuck in the sand doesn't reflect
> the degree of maturity of the Japanese people

Then you aren't paying much attention to the attitudes of the general public
themselves when they respond in surveys for example, that they support
traditional gender roles, or the phenomenon of how women work part time for low
salaries (under 110 hours per month, and under 1.3 million per year, or what
have you) *specifically* to avoid paying higher taxes or being required to pay
for their own health and pension. I personally welcome the proposal to
eliminate exemptions for spouses, to encourage women to work more like men, and
reduce debt.

> any more than, say, a leader
> who dismisses anything more sophisticated than "good=us, evil=anyone who
> disagrees with us" is a reflection on the degree of maturity of the people
> of the United States. You could say the whole world has a lot of growing up
> to do, but no one's in a position to throw stones here.
>
> > For instance, one reason given for the low birth rate in Japan is the
> > male-dominated medical profession does not consider pain-control to be
> > important in childbirth. My wife has told me that some women have told her
> > that they would never give birth in Japan because the Japanese
> male-dominate
> > medical profession dismisses their pain as unimportant.
>
> I'm surprised about that. Firstly, women are kept in hospital for about a
> week after giving birth in Japan, which they *used* to be in the UK, until
> the National Health Service decided to economise by booting them out on the
> same day. Secondly, my wife had the most wonderful birthing experience,
> despite some complications after delivery, and we could not have been
> treated more sensitively and kindly. I say "we" because I was there
> throughout, and all three of us were treated so well it was a wrench to
> leave! True, we paid a bit extra for a private clinic, which provided all
> the basic facilities available under the standard national insurance system
> and then piled on extras (like a room to ourselves and beautifully-cooked
> meals), but it's clear that if you do your homework there is a very wide
> choice of birthing facilities available, and some very caring and competent
> specialists.
>
> > Another reason is that women don't want to give up their careers, and they
> > realize that the typical Japanese male will not share the work at home.
>
> Yes, obviously there's a lot of truth in that. An even bigger problem is the
> lack of facilities. Home helps and babysitters are not a regular feature of
> the landscape the way they would be for working mothers in the UK, and
> childcare facilities generally do not keep long enough hours to enable a
> parent to do a full-time job and pick up the child(ren) afterwards.
>
> Part of this - I think - is because the shift from a traditional
> extended-parent society to a nuclear family set-up has taken place too
> quickly, and the compensatory social structures haven't had time to grow up.
> But equally, because the changes have been so fast, many people (especially
> those in power) are stuck in a mindset that's woefully out of date.
>
> > Modern Japanese men are improving, but the ones in power tend to be the
> > reactionary types that still believe that Koreans wanted to have Japanese
> > names in WWII, and believe that the Japanese Imperial Army was a force of
> > good, and that Japanese snow is different from gaijin snow.
>
> Yes, I'm with you there, too. Even worse, they appear to be presiding over
> Japan's slow decline, rather than trying to revitalise it through a
> programme of economic and social reforms.
>
> Apart from this idea about Japan being immature, it doesn't seem we have all
> that much to disagree about.
>
> --
> John
> http://rarebooksinjapan.com