Emily M.
Do you think that Japanese marriages are less happy (and less in love) because they don't participate in cohabitation prior to marriage?
Bijal
Ronald and Nakano illustrate that parents are torn between marrying their daughters or keeping their daughters to themselves in order to have their daughters care for them. What will happen to the daughters when they are older, and do not have daughters or even a husband for that matter to take care of them? Do you think this crosses parents minds?
Emily P.
The authors elude to the idea that women are giving away opportunities to marry by buying a condominium. Why is this so? Are Japanese men intimidated by these women's independence?
Zach F.
Do you think that the economic crisis in Japan will help restructure female lives? Or will it be a temporary solution to the crisis?
Danielle
The authors state that many women said they want a partner but that they would like separate living arrangements. Do you think that many women's expectations are unrealistic? Do you think that Japanese society really gives them any options or allows them to be independent?
Kayo
Why have such public discriminations been persisting for so long? Does Japan's community-based society make it harder for people to seek out change in the social system? Are women underrepresented in Japan's government (and if so, does it contribute to this lack of support in women's rights)?
Alix
Ronald & Nakano reference a statistic from the Institute for Research on Household Economics, claiming that (in 2006) “as few as 20 percent of [Japanese] wives had any legal ownership of the owner-occupied homes in which they dwelled”. Does this statistic, in your opinion, undermine any power that Japanese women assume within the household?
Katy
Would making housing more accessible to single women (loans, affordability...) make a significant difference in improving singles situation in Japanese society or is broad social reform needed? Why?
Matt
In their article, Ronald and Nakano note "For women, marriage no longer offers a secure route to middle-class status. At the same time, for unmarried-women, access to, and progress up a housing-ladder is inhibited by housing
markets, gendered flows of inheritance, social policy bias and labor market disadvantages" (26). If marriage nor being unmarried help with economic status, what is the best thing for a woman in Japan to do in order to live a pleasurably and to feel economically secure in life?
Stephanie B.
The article states, "The idealisation of the "housewife" and privatised home life sustained women's dependence on their husbands or fathers as the legal owners or providers of housing." If the role of housewife never became idealized in Japan would there be more of a balance between men and women, and their responsibilities in the household.
Kristen L.
The author states that "Although recent social changes have brought women greater opportunities in education and work, housing opportunities remain constrained." Why do you think this is the case? How does housing and gender relations in Japan influence the family and housing system features? What seems to be the cause?
Emanuel
Have fertility and marriage rates plummeted more because the desired traits for husband have changed or Japanese men can no longer provide the economic security as they did in the past?
Marc
The author states that "There are none-the-less growing numbers of women who are able to take advantage of the improved work opportunities that are reshaping the housing market." Do you think that more single Japanese women are starting to enter the housing market solely because of improved work opportunities or is there a larger social movement at play that is unrelated to economics?
Katie
Do you think that marriage plays such an integral part in American housing?
Zach N.
Why are social and economic opportunities for those who dont marry poor? Why cant they pull themselves out of the hole that has been shaped for them?
Anna
Do you find it interesting that it seems like single women are now looking to ensure that there will be love in their marriage since with the declining economy there is less of a dependent relationship between the husband and wife (aka when couples form relationships that are "like air")?
Danielle
How do OLs expect men to respect them and treat them as equals when they gossip and act unprofessional?
Alexa
After reading about the gossip that takes place between the OLs and its effects do you think this was a formal power or informal power? Do you think the OLs were even aware of it?
Kristen L.
Using gossip, outright work refusal, and public gift-giving as manipulative strategies, office ladies can ultimately make or break the careers of the men. Do you think both Japanese men and women are oppressed? Is by being manipulative the only way for the OLs to exercise any power?
Nicole
On page 69, the author concluded that OLs are "inhibited from voicing open rebellion by a lack of solidarity caused by diverse company policies." The author also previously mentioned in the chapter that there is a hierarchy and social status among OLs. How can the office environment improve to lessen the disparity between women in the same workplace?
Marc
How much do you think salarymen really care about the applications of informal power performed by OL's? How much should they care?
Matt
Ogasawara writes that "Given the potential contradictions among age, educational background, tenure at the bank, and tenure in a certain section, solidarity among the OLs at Tozai was difficult to achieve." After reading this section I question and wonder if solidarity can be achieved and if there are too many ways an individual can feel superior and have seniority in Japanese society? Do to many people feel like they have seniority making solidarity an impossibility?
Megan
Do you believe Japanese women accepting their inequalities from men is an acceptable identifying factor to being a female or do you believe it detracts form our notions concerning feminism?
Shannon
Was it odd to see married men buying and receiving treats and lunches from young, pretty OLs and yet not be seen as adulterous? Does this somehow connect to the difference between love marriages and marriages in Japan that we talked about?
Emily M.
It's very interesting that the OLs enjoy playing pranks on the men on Valentine's Day. They enjoy being mischievous. Does this mean that they are essentially bored with their job and are finding other ways to be entertained or stay busy?
L.B.
Does the giving of chocolates (especially "ultra-obligatory" ones) and the playing of pranks seem juvenile and disingenuous? At the same time, why is it important?
Michaela
Yuko is frustrated because she had difficulty conveying an accurate depiction of Japan and the relationship between men and women: She says, “The more I tried to be accurate, the more I failed to communicate. I was frustrated: I had failed to impart the “truth” about relations between men and women in Japan.” She was left confused by her own statements. Is this because the topic of gender equality in the states holds a different interpretation than in Japan or because the issue is not as black and white as Yuok tries to make it?
Marquis
"Men are tied down to the company, but we can say good-bye. That's a nice feeling" How does this help or hinder the position of women pursuing a career when men can consider this a advantage and a show that there is equality?
Allison P.
The OL's "united in sharing the hidden message conveyed in the gift." If the OL's could organize and agree on which men received presents and which didn't, why can't they organize to bring about even greater change?
Katy
"Such inaction assumed meaning not by itself, but only in comparison with action: it was disgraceful for a man not to get any chocolate of flowers because other men received these gifts." Does inaction (the lack of present giving) have the potential to cause change?
Minoru
Japan now, the female employee who were used to be called OL like in this book are now dominated by irregular employee especially after Koizumi, the former Prime minister of Japan, who are ultra-pro-American. OL are actually now disappearing. The jobs of OL are said to be excellent job now.
OL was a girl who were in good-old world. why did this change happen and why does the people now admire the existence O