Japanese society still harbors a patriarchal mentality.
Though things may have changed a bit recently, Japan remains a patriarchal society.
As a result, for my mother’s generation and older, the society was one in which men worked outside the home and women took care of the home.
It wasn’t until I started traveling abroad that I realized that the position of a full-time housewife was rare overseas.
This is because dual-income households were the norm there.
The era in which full-time housewives were the norm was possible thanks to Japan’s prosperous economy.
Today, it’s extremely difficult to make ends meet on a single husband’s income, so dual-income households are the norm.
The “Equal Employment Opportunity Law” was first enacted in 1985.
This law expanded opportunities for women to work on an equal footing with men, gradually eliminating discrimination.
However, complete equality has not been achieved, and I believe society still has a weak position for women and a strong male-dominated culture.
There are also many cases of women quitting their jobs due to sexual harassment, especially at work.
When I travel abroad, I am keenly aware that while women are making great contributions overseas, Japan is still lagging behind.
Fortunately, the teaching world is gender equal, so it may be a better place for women than the private sector.
