How patriarchal is Japanese society when it comes to family life?

Question

How patriarchal is Japanese society when it comes to family life?
Is it true that Japanese men heads the family? How? I was told that Japanese society is male-dominated. I have a friend who told me that men are the one who manage the household, and that women are just expected to stay at home and be a housekeeper. The man is the one who keeps and budget the money. He would give only to his wife only what is enough for the family. Is this true in many cases?

Answer 1

I don't know where these guys are getting their info, but normally, a Japanese wife is put in charge of the money. She doles out an allowance to the husband, and there are tons of jokes about husbands who get ridiculously low amounts of money from their wives. She is the one in charge of saving for children's education and for a new house. So, she's actually got a great deal of power in the house. In the stereotypical "salary man" home, the guy is busy commuting, working, working overtime and commuting again that he doesn't spend much time home -- and he's so tired he spends the weekend sleeping. So the mom is in charge of discipline.

The stereotype is that men don't do much with the children or with the house, but I think that's changing. My husband is a great father, and spends lots of time with the kids. My home-stay father also spent a lot of time with his daughter, and he helped with the housekeeping (but both he and his wife worked outside the home).

Outside the home, I don't think women have much power. They are only starting to break into politics, and you don't see many female CEOs. But inside the home -- traditionally, the woman of the house is pretty powerful inside her own castle.

Of course, there are exceptions. Domestic violence happens (as it does in every country) and there are some women who aren't up to handling their household, so the man has to manage it.

Answer 2

Japan Patriarchal Society

Answer 3

I attended a course on Japanese gender and sexuality studies before and back in the old days it is very very patriarchal. Men are the only members of the family who can make decisions, it is perfectly fine if they have mistresses but if the wives have affair outside of the home they will be prosecuted. Women have to change their appearances, or uglify themselves, after being divorced.


The Japanese language is also sexist. Men use a different way of speaking that is more forceful and aggressive, while women use "feminine" language that ends with a soft tone, such that it sounds open-ended and non-affirmative. So women do not sound as decisive as the men when they talk.

But now it's much better regarding the language area, I believe more people are using one type of way to speak and also there are more women joining the professional ranks. In the past they had this popular Japanese saying "good wife, wise mother" which basically wants the women to stay at home and serve her husband and family. But now mention this to Japanese women and you will not get a good response. This "good wife, wise mother" mindset has pretty much faded away.

But this doesn't mean the women are on par with the men....there are pink-collared workers(women working in admin, secretaries etc.) who hardly get promoted and mothers are pressured to make themselves look good through their children like they have to prepare aesthetically-pleasing lunches for their children and manually sew their names on their clothings. All these to show they are good mothers, as their children compare these things namong themselves in schools.

Answer 4

From what I've been given to understand, Japanese society is EXTREMELY male-dominated. It's not like it's considered improper for a woman to have a career, but I think that there is usually a lot more pressure on her to obey her husband than there is on Western women.

Answer 5

The countries considered "backwards" are super advanced technologically economically or both and the countries considered "feminism heaven" are eithier loosing ground did never count anything because they were a matriachy for a long time, or have nothing but snowballs, like Sweden. Gives you to think.

Answer 6

Yes. Normally the wife is given money to buy groceries and give spending money to the kids. However Japan is quickly becoming more and more like America culturally.

Answer 7

Japan is the most backward country in the WORLD regarding EVERYTHING.

Besides technology, of course. lol

But very Male dominated.