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International Women's Day

34 Comments

About 200 participants march to mark International Women's Day in Tokyo on Wednesday. The women protested against wage disparities, sexual harassment and other challenges that they say still face.

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More power to them! A little history..

http://www.un.org/en/events/womensday/history.shtml

8 ( +12 / -4 )

Worth protesting for. At least it's not the "No War" protest at Hachioji station. I never understood that one. Are there lot's of people in Japan running around advocating for another conflict?

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

I am not sure if this accomplishes better wages for women, but if you have the time on your hands why not?

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Good luck to them. Women all over the world deal with a lot of crap. Good on these ladies for standing up and marching. My hat off to them.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

They should have written the banner in Kanji and Hiragana only, to show they are not just copying some idea from abroad, and mean business on a local level.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

200? Do they actually have jobs? Will anyone miss them?

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

"They should have written the banner in Kanji and Hiragana only, to show they are not just copying some idea from abroad, and mean business on a local level."

They are JUST COPYING SOME IDEA FROM ABROAD.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Do they actually have jobs?

This is their jobs.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

From many of the posters on this thread you can easily SEE why women still have many issues with society

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Being absent from work will change nothing. Doing a good job, proving your worth, and being ambitious goes a long way in the real world. Yes, it is still run by men mostly, but complaining about just makes these women look more like whining women.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I think that being absent from work for a day and walking around in the street does nothing to help highlight the real issues that women face. It would also mean more if it were done outside of working hours.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Jalapeno

It looks pretty dark. How do you know this didn't take place after work hours? Maybe they took a half day off? And really, it's just one day out of the year. Japanese are notorious for not using their paid vacation days. This seems like a good reason to use one.

Marches like this draw attention to the issue and unlike proclamations from the government, they actually require the involvement of the people seeking empowerment. If anything there should've been more women out there, because 200 seems a bit meager.

@sensei258

At least it's not the "No War" protest at Hachioji station. I never understood that one. Are there lot's of people in Japan running around advocating for another conflict?

Abe and the LDP? They're not advocating for war per se, but for Japan's ability to make war.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I think there are some legitimate issues, but 3 things ruin it for me about how they are doing this:

Gender wage gap between male and female. Liberals now say there are 58 genders, so the point is invalid. Plus, you cant compare jobs that arent the same and say there is a wage gap (female teacher vs male lawyer for example)

A day without women is supported financially by a man. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/7/george-soros-gave-246-million-partners-womens-marc/

Why did they protest in front of Trump Tower again? That ruins their message that this is actually about womens issues and not another we are mad cause Hillary didnt win protest.
1 ( +2 / -1 )

"From many of the posters on this thread you can easily SEE why women still have many issues with society"

And hostile comments from both men AND women.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"Liberals now say there are 58 genders, so the point is invalid"

Who says this? I don't. Even if there are 58 genders, the point is still not invalid.

"Plus, you cant compare jobs that arent the same and say there is a wage gap (female teacher vs male lawyer for example)"

I don't think that's what people are complaining about. If they were, they'd be ridiculed. The other 57 genders would ridicule them.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Oh Im sorry, 5 more since I last heard, there are 63 now: https://apath.org/63-genders/

I guess NY city is gender discriminatory because they only recognize 31: https://heatst.com/culture-wars/here-are-the-31-gender-identities-new-york-city-recognizes/

There are numerous studies that show that some jobs and some locations women actually make more than men for the same job. If gender pay gap is a concern to someone, they can move there?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

They should have written the banner in Kanji and Hiragana only, to show they are not just copying some idea from abroad, and mean business on a local level.

So what if it's copied from abroad? Thanks to "abroad" these women have the rights to walk the street and have their voices heard.

I do not understand the mindset of ANYONE that thinks that just because some idea or event or whatever comes from abroad and not home-grown makes it somehow wrong or improper for here. Sorry that's just plain ignorance, or Nathan Algren syndrome.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

"Oh Im sorry, 5 more since I last heard, there are 63 now

Right then. That means the other 62 genders should ridicule the gender that expects a female teacher to earn the same as a male lawyer.

"There are numerous studies that show that some jobs and some locations women actually make more than men for the same job. If gender pay gap is a concern to someone, they can move there?"

Wouldn't it be better if all jobs in all areas were giving equal pay? Not all women, or men for that matter, can all uproot to go where the pay is better.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Thanks to "abroad" these women have the rights to walk the street and have their voices heard.

Women could walk the street and have thier voces heard in Japan for thousand years.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

"Women could walk the street and have thier voces heard in Japan for thousand years."

That's nice. A pity Japan's world ranking in gender equality is so dire.

The three most capable Japanese women I've ever worked with buggered off abroad for obvious reasons. The salarymen I worked with couldn't get their heads around it. It was mind-blowing to them.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Women in my company still have to wear uniforms and get tea for men. At least that is better than the women in this picture who do not even have jobs..

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The three most capable Japanese women I've ever worked with buggered off abroad for obvious reasons. The salarymen I worked with couldn't get their heads around it. It was mind-blowing to them.

Then why do you stay in Japan?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Good lord the comments.

Doing a good job, proving your worth, and being ambitious goes a long way in the real world. Yes, it is still run by men mostly, but complaining about just makes these women look more like whining women.

Says a man.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Funded by a man as I said, plus a man was even required to organize the march and instruct the chants.

http://ntknetwork.com/dcs-a-day-without-a-woman-protest-is-being-led-by-a-man/

I also think the best way you prove your worth in the workplace is by going to work and doing a good job. Not by skipping work and walking around outside while someone else is doing your work.

Also all the teachers that skipped school caused schools to have to close. This caused problem for the women with kids who did want to work. Those women now had to stay home with their kids who had no school to go to (or ask a man to stay home and do it for them). I support the overall idea, but the execution and logic parts just werent there.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Women could walk the street and have thier voces heard in Japan for thousand years.

Right, and a PM and government that wont allow a woman to be Empress! So just whose "voice" is being heard?

Get your head out of the sand. You are a female right? And you still think this way? Damn

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I also think the best way you prove your worth in the workplace is by going to work and doing a good job. Not by skipping work and walking around outside while someone else is doing your work.

Again, spoken by a man...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

a PM and government that wont allow a woman to be Empress! So just whose "voice" is being heard?

The "voice" of the majority vote is being heard.

Get your head out of the sand. You are a female right? And you still think this way? Damn

Give up forcing American value on Japan.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Give up forcing American value on Japan.

You mean the values that women are equal? Last I checked, women in Japan had far more freedom centuries ago than they do now... I guess you forget that after the war it was the Americans who brought in the "housewife" culture. Once again, your knowledge of Japan and its history makes your posts nonsense.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

"Give up forcing American value on Japan."

America isn't actually that great on gender equality. Look at what it's president says about women.

The Scandinavian societies are more advanced on this issue. They tend to be the most advanced on most issues.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I guess you forget that after the war it was the Americans who brought in the "housewife" culture.

Are you suggesting housewife is a American culture? Before US existed, there were housewives in Japan.

America isn't actually that great on gender equality.

I know but many Americans like Yubaru don't. They tend to brag about things only slightly or no better than Japan.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

tinawatanabe: "I know but many Americans like Yubaru don't. They tend to brag about things only slightly or no better than Japan."

Gender equality is LORDS above Japan in the US, tina. Japan ranks a lousy 121 or so out of 145. Hell, even China is nearly three times ahead.

"Women could walk the street and have thier voces heard in Japan for thousand years."

Hogwash... they won't even begin, nor will you, to have a debate on the idea of Aiko taking the Chrysanthemum Throne, nor are women allowed to step in a Sumo ring despite it being 2017. They might have their voices 'heard' behind closed doors, at home, but even look at how Ishihara is treating Koike, who his a far better person than he ever was or could be. And lest we forget how many politicians consider women to be "baby-making machines", etc.

No, Japan is one of the furthest countries behind in the world with gender equality. They pretend they are not, but they are.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Gender equality is LORDS above Japan in the US, tina. Japan ranks a lousy 121 or so out of 145. Hell, even China is nearly three times ahead.

Then the ranking is wrong. In China wife can not have the same last name as her husband's. Where is equality?

they won't even begin, nor will you, to have a debate on the idea of Aiko taking the Chrysanthemum Throne

Any dabate on the idea of female Pope?

nor are women allowed to step in a Sumo ring despite it being 2017.

I've heard that there are still male only gulf clubs in UK and US.

how many politicians consider women to be "baby-making machines"

Zero. Even if somebody said "baby-making machines", he wouldn't think women were really machines.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

"They pretend they are not, but they are." pretending to be smart but not always wrong

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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