Marriage in Contemporary Japan: 26 (Routledge Contemporary Japan Series) - Hardcover

Tokuhiro, Yoko

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0415441102 ISBN 13: 9780415441100

Publisher: Routledge, 2009

Synopsis

The phenomenon of bankonka – ‘postponement of marriage’ – is increasingly reported in contemporary Japanese media, clearly illustrating the changing patterns of modern lifestyles and attitudes towards marriage, personal obligation and ambition. This is the first book in recent years to explore the contemporary state of marriage in Japanese society. Setting out the different perceptions and expectations of marriage in today’s Japan, the book discusses how economic issues and the family impact on marital behaviour. Contrary to the views of some feminists that young women have no interest in improving their status and position, this book argues that, by delaying marriage and childrearing, young women can be seen as ‘rebels’ challenging Japanese patriarchal society. Unlike many other studies, it gives equal attention to male gender roles and masculinity, exploring what constitutes being a ‘real man’ in Japan – through the analysis of mainstream and non-mainstream conceptions of masculinity that co-exist in contemporary Japan, and considers the implications of such different roles for the institution of marriage. It investigates the roles of wife and mother, articulating why the strict division of labour defining men as breadwinners and women as homemakers became popular. Moreover, it describes the changing character of courtship relationships, explaining why the norm has shifted from arranged marriages pre-1945 to love marriages after that period. Finally, it puts the Japanese experience into cross-cultural, international context with a series of comparisons with marriage elsewhere both in Asia – including in Korea and Hong Kong – and in western countries such as France, Sweden, Italy and the United States.

About this title

Review:

"A carefully developed book that explicitly sets out its questions, theoretical influences, and methodology. Not only is the writing clear and precise, but the book’s conclusions are also supported with data from various sources... For those interested in the topics of marriage and feminist movements, and especially for those studying gender in Japan, Marriage in Contemporary Japan offers an interesting glimpse into the Japanese institution of matrimony." - Evan Koike, University of Kansas; Anthropological Quarterly Winter 2013.

Synopsis:

The phenomenon of 'bankonka' - 'postponement of marriage' - has become increasingly important in Japanese society during recent years, clearly illustrating the changing patterns of modern lifestyles and attitudes towards marriage, personal obligation and ambition. This book explores marriage in contemporary Japan, setting out the different perceptions and expectations of marriage and discussing how economic issues and the role of the family play important roles in marital behaviour. Analyzing the impact of feminist ideas, it argues that young Japanese women can be seen as 'rebels' challenging Japanese patriarchal society through delaying marriage and childrearing - contrary to the views of some feminists who see these women as basically uninterested in improving the status and position of women in society.Yoko Tokuhiro considers male gender roles and masculinity, exploring what constitutes being a 'real man' in Japan through the analysis of mainstream and non-mainstream conceptions of masculinity that exist in contemporary Japan, and explains the implications of these different roles for the institution of marriage.

She investigates the roles of wife and mother, showing how the strict division of labour arose, defining men as breadwinners and women as homemakers. The volume also describes the changing character of courtship relationships and explains why the norm shifted from arranged marriages during the pre-1945 period to love marriages in subsequent years. Finally, it puts the Japanese experience into cross-cultural context with a series of comparisons with the evolving situation of marriage elsewhere in Asia - including Korea and Hong Kong - and also in Western countries such as France, Sweden, Italy and the United States.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0415441102
• ISBN 13: 9780415441100
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 176