Sexual harassment in Japanese politics examines a problem that violates women’s human rights and prevents a flourishing democracy. Japan fares badly in international gender equality indices, especially for female political representation. The scarcity of women in politics reflects the status of women and also exacerbates it. Based on interviews with female politicians around the country from all levels of government, this book sheds light on the sexist and sometimes dangerous environments in Japanese legislative assemblies. These environments reflect and recreate broader sexual inequalities in Japanese society and are a hothouse for sexual harassment. Like many places around the world, workplace sexual harassment laws and regulations in Japan often fail to protect women from being harassed. Even more, in the ‘workplace’ of the legislative council, such regulations are typically absent. This book discusses what this means for women in politics in the context of a broader culture whereby victims of sexual violence are largely silenced.
Author(s): Emma Dalton
Series: Palgrave Macmillan Studies on Human Rights in Asia
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 246
City: Singapore
Acknowledgements
Contents
1 Introduction
A Gender Equality Laggard
Marginal Change for Women Through Gender Equality Policies
Women’s Position in Politics
The Left in the Field
Methodology
Outline
References
2 Sekuhara: Framing Violence Against Women in Politics in Japan
Violence Against Women in Politics
Sexual Harassment as Violence Against Women
Not the Cost of Doing Politics
Legal Conceptualisations of Sexual Harassment
The Emergence of Sekuhara
References
3 Coerced Silence
Sexual Violence
Institutionalised Misogyny and Victim-Blaming
Institutional Betrayal
The Ideal Victim
Gendered Jikosekinin
Victim-Blaming Codified in Law
Flower Demo, #MeToo: Contemporary Women’s Movement Against Sexual Violence
When the Japanese Language Keeps Her Quiet
When Not Speaking up Makes More Sense
#WithYou: Women in the Media React to Entrenched Misogyny and Sekuhara
A Lucid Response
References
4 The Extent of Violence Against and Harassment of Women in Politics
More Than a String of Isolated Incidents
Categories of Violence
Psychological Violence
Heckling
Infantilisation
Cyber Bullying and Threats
Stalking
Sexual Violence
Symbolic Violence
Hyōhara
Malicious Monster or Hapless Romantic? Understanding Men’s Harassment of Women
References
5 Managing Sexual Harassment
Learning to Cope and Narratives of Accommodation
Denial, Repression and Shame
She Asked for It: Victim-Blaming Discourses
Ongoing Silence
References
6 Institutional Responses to Sexual Harassment
Daezu
Edota
Critical Acts and Critical Actors
Enablers and Disablers of Critical Actors
The (Self-)Perceived Role of Women Councillors
Sense of Self-Determination Blurs Vision of Sekuhara
Individualistic Approach the Result of Absent Infrastructure
Legislative Assemblies as Workplaces
The Problem Exposed
Emerging Approaches to the Problem
The Political Party Approach
Change Requires Acknowledging the Problem
References
7 ‘Harassment Paradise’: Tales from Rural Local Councils
Arai
The Outsider
Adultery and the ‘Utilisation’ of Women by Male Councillors
A Witch-Hunt: Misogyny and Social Ostracism
A Whistle-Blower Wracked with Guilt
Incompetence and Obsequiousness
Kawaii
Yamada
Mizusawa
The Sexual Harassment Ties That Bind
Rural Politics Left Behind as Tokyo Limps Ahead
A Hostess After All
References
8 Conclusion
More Women Needed in Office
Understanding the Legislative Assembly as a Workplace
Limits and Possibilities of Law and Conventions
Dignity and Human Rights
Further Questions
References
Appendix
Bibliography
Index