History of Gender and Culural Diffusion

Oku Mumeo and the Movements To Alter the Status of Women In Japan is a recommended source on the history of the Japanese Women's Movement. Although this history is not focused on the time period specifically covered on this homepage, the history of gender roles in Japan must be looked at pre-1932.

The 1920s saw the beginning of the Taisho Democracy (which enabled some form of insurgence) and the rise of the women's movement in Japan against the traditional role of woman as "quiet but nurturing daughter, wife and mother" with "no power nor visibility as persons even in their own homes".

Hiratsuka Raicho, Ichikawa Fusae, and Oku Mumeo started the New Women's Association (or Shin Fujin Kyokai) in the early 1920s. While progress was made it was not only that WWII stagnated the efforts of the New Women's Association in Japan, but it was the Occupation of Japan by the U.S. post WW-II that truly led to the acceleration and basis for the improvement of women's status in Japan.