During our Women in Japan series, we discussed some of the powerful reasons to be a woman in Japan. From a Westernised viewpoint, it’s sometimes hard to accept the fact that, while Japan is still very much a patriarchal society, many women (not all, but many) here don’t actually want to be out there smashing glass ceilings and “leaning in” at the office when instead they could be doing things that women were traditionally appreciated for in Japan, namely cooking, housekeeping and raising the kids.

If you’re still in doubt as to exactly what Japanese women think of the gender gap in their country, this informative street interview video from YouTuber Yuta Aoki should provide some answers.

First, let’s watch the video before diving in for a discussion.

While the women interviewed did seem to be in agreement that Japan is not a gender-equal society, they also pointed out that both genders tend to have different roles in society here and are appreciated for different reasons. Additionally, there are some perks which women enjoy in society that are denied to men. Some even questioned whether a gender-equal society would be beneficial to anyone.

The interviewees also highlight the difference in how seriously men and women are taken at work as well as the difference in attitudes towards working men and women who also have families. They also point out that women who work are still expected to do all of the housework when they get home from work. (This is in addition to being perfect mothers and also taking care of their looks—expectations that, generally speaking, aren’t placed upon men.)

Some of the women interviewed also said that they wouldn’t want to have to work “like a man” and attributed the Japanese male’s ability to put in hard work and overtime to having the support of a wife at home.

Which do you think is better, a society where men and women have different, equally valued roles to play, or a gender-neutral society where everyone works and splits the burden of housework and childcare?

The video raises some important points and has certainly got us thinking.  If you’re interested in hearing more about what regular Japanese people on the street think about many aspects of Japanese society, you can check out the selection of street interview videos on the ThatJapaneseManYuta YouTube page.

Source, screenshots: YouTube/ThatJapaneseManYuta