Women's Movement of the Japanese Women

Women's Movements and Democracy in Japan Mikiko Eto 1 “Prepared for delivery at the 2004 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association? September 2 - September 5? 2004. Copyright by the American Political Science Association.” (Allison? p. 22)Women's Movements and Democracy in Japan: Intersection between Everyday Lives and Politics Mikiko Eto Hosei University? Tokyo Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the women's movement in Japan works as “an agency of democracy” (Allison? p. 22) which changes Japanese politics toward more openness and vitality. The Japanese women's movement can be categorized into three groups: elite-initiated? feminist and non-feminist participatory. Despite differences in their outlook and attitudes? they share common grounds for their collective activities. Their identities? for example? tend to be centered around motherhood. The language of motherhood has been a crucial idea behind Japanese women's mobilization. The male-dominated Japanese politics has not only taken little account of women's issues but it has also excluded women from the established political institutions. Thus their campaigns link women's demands with politics from below. The women's movements provide Japanese women with an alternative channel for political participation. They effectively use two channels inside and outside the formal political institutions. In the former case? the traditional style of Japan's policymaking makes political influence possible for the women. The institutional channel means sending many more women to legislative bodies. The organizations provide female candidates with support for election campaigns. While these women apply direct action to incorporate their demands in public policies? they do not ignore the representative institutions but they rather try to participate in legislative bodies. In doing so? women's political involvement at the grassroots level has contributed not only to improving women's social conditions but also to developing more democratic political system in Japan. The paper comprises three sections. First of all? I give an overview of contemporary women's movements in Japan. Second? I present their background of women's collective activism in contemporary Japan? stressing some views. Finally? I discuss the way in which women have used movement organizations to participate in the political process from which they have hitherto been excluded.

Women's Movements and Democracy in Japan Mikiko Eto 2 Keywords: women's movements? feminist? non-feminist? motherhood? political involvement? democracy? agency? and channels for influence Contents Introduction The Genealogy of Women's Movements in Japan The Background behind Mobilizing Japanese Women The Scope of Women's Political Involvement Conclusion “In a large sense? however? all political women? no matter how modest their degree of involvement or how carefully they may disguise their activism from any detractors? are agents of change” (Allison? p. 22). As a result of their collective efforts? prevailing notions of women's role are gradually expanded to include new forms of activity that once were wholly proscribed for women. Through their struggles? political women show others the way.” (Beauchamp? p. 31) Introduction Voting rates in Japan have rapidly declined in the past decade? and many voters have switched away from the established parties. The number ...