Sexism In Japan
While the history of gender roles have been discussed pre-Occupation in the general history section, it was with the implementation of the new Japanese Constitution in1947 that one of the most important time periods for Japanese Women occured. For instance, the below section creates a legal precedence for a behavior that was previously seen as extremely shocking an innapriopriate:
Marraige shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of husband and wife as a basis. With regard to choice of a spouse, property rights, inheritance, choice of domicile, divorce and other matters pertaining to marriage and the family, laws shall be enacted from the standpoint of individual dignity and the essential quality of the sexes (Article 24)
During this time period "primogeniture was abolished and marriage regulations changed" (Knapp). Any woman over twenty did not need her parent's permission to marry. In 1946 after women were given the right to vote. As Japanese society changed rapidly (the emperor disclaimed his divinity the same year) there was still progress to be made.
"Although a milestone had been officially reached and the abolition of patriarchal authority had become law, in practice conservatism still prevailed. Even in the 1960s, the consensus was that wives and mothers should not work; women were exploited in the workplace, receiving less salary for the same work as the man; and marriages continued to be arranged" (Knapp).
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