The writer reflects on the adoption of gender equality policy by the Japanese government in the 1980s and assesses its effectiveness over the past decades. The primary conclusion is that the policy has been ineffective. To borrow Nancy Fraser’s words, “feminism became neoliberalism’s handmaiden.” The law was enacted in Japan to boost employment and the economy under the pretense that women would have the same access to job opportunities, such as graduate roles in major corporations, which were previously reserved for men. However, only a small number of elite women can outperform men in these graduate positions, often at the expense of family and work-life balance. For a large percentage of women, the law effectively legalizes employment on a casual basis, denying them benefits like paid leave and resulting in significantly lower earnings compared to permanent employees in Japan.
The writer urges young women to reject the internalization of meritocratic thinking, which posits that there are only winners and losers and that individuals are solely responsible for their actions. Instead, she encourages women to unite and form grassroots collectives to support one another and advocate for policy changes. The writer compellingly states, “Japan is a sinking boat. It’s the captain’s job to go down with the ship, and you don’t owe anything to the country—it’s not worth it. If you can, escape the sinking boat; your primary goal is survival.” I found this perspective refreshing.