Recently in 02. From Japan Category

Takako NIWA
ICU Post-graduate

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the twelfth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

The annual conference of the Women's Studies Association of Japan was held at Ochanomizu Women's University on June 27th and 28th, 2009. My general impression was that the association was not mired in the 30 years of its history, but was clearly looking ahead to the future. This was evident in the selection of general members for the positions of section meeting supervisors and in the fact that the symposium was held on the last day, not the first day, to sum up the whole conference.

Atsuko YASUOKA
Director, NPO Support House NENRIN
【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the 11th issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

"Baumkuchen," the precursor of Support House NENRIN, was formed by participants of a course hosted by the community center in former Tanashi city in 1978. Through this one-year course, I learned that women's education and social norms were determined by the needs of the business world. While all of the course participants were full-time housewives, we began to realize the vulnerability of our positions, and so began to create our own worlds. Then in 1985, having acquired a day service job at a local elder care centre, I was to learn the social situation in which care work is placed.

Kazuyoshi KAWASAKA
Graduate student, ICU

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the 11
th issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

The first conference of the Japan Association for Queer Studies (JAQS), was held at Hiroshima Shudo University on November 8th and 9th, 2008. Despite the last minute notice of absence of one of the symposiasts, the conference was a success with many participants from diverse backgrounds. I was happy with the number of participants, the level of intellectual interaction that took place, as well as the exchange among scholars, students and activists. In this report, however, I would like to put aside the temptation and talk about the problems that were hard to see but surely existed at the conference.

Makiko ISERI
Graduate Student, Hitotsubashi University

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the 11th issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

The Rainbow March in Sapporo brought together Hokkaido locals and people from all over the country and beyond under a beautiful sunny sky. I went there because I had heard many good things about it and knew that the Tokyo Pride Parade had been postponed this year. And I'm glad I decided to go; the event was full of smiles and energy, and there was no excessive police or public intervention so the whole walk was fun and empowering.

Michiko SAKAI
Undergraduate student, ICU

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the 11th issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

After giving birth to my daughter in December 2007, I planned to return to ICU in April with the hope of entrusting my child to the proposed ICU childcare center. However, this childcare center was never established, and I was forced to abandon these plans. Critics may say that the idea of going to school while raising a child may have been too hopeful. I feel this myself more than anyone. Nevertheless, I feel overjoyed in being blessed with a daughter. Without question, I believe I made the right choice by giving birth to her.

ICU Graduate

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the ???th issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

After giving birth in late 2007, I returned to my job eight weeks later for several reasons. Here, I will record my personal opinions and thoughts on labor and childcare.

Ken'ichi ISHIKAWA
ICU graduate

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the 11th issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

A man who wants to actively take part in child rearing.
A woman who wants to continue working after giving birth.
A company that wants to protect and secure

Sou
Nijiiro hempeisoku - Aomori Sexual Minorities Association

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the tenth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

The issue of cell phone filtering for minors in Japan is being addressed by the government, corporations, third party organizations and even in the Diet. I am greatly concerned that websites and personal blogs for the interaction of sexual minorities and the provision of accurate information for them are at risk of being targeted as “harmful” by uniform filtering. This could not only aggravate the current prejudice, but also deprive sexual minorities of their support systems.

Kozue AKIBAYASHI
International Vice President, WILPF
(Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the tenth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

The Global Article 9 Conference to Abolish War was held at Makuhari Messe and in other locations in Japan from May 4 to 6, 2008, to disseminate the principles and values of Article 9 of the Japanese constitution around the globe.
The conference started with speeches by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mairead Corrigan-Maguire (Northern Ireland) and others, as well as live music and cultural performances.
“Women’s Power of Building Peace - Weaving Together Women’s Initiatives Worldwide” was one of the symposiums and workshops held on the second day. A total of six panelists from different countries participated in the discussion on women’s roles in peacemaking. As the facilitator of the workshop, I would like to report on some of the successful examples and suggestions for future activities that they shared with us.

IWATA, Mayu
Undergraduate student, ICU

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the tenth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

Gay and lesbian issues were featured in an NHK documentary series called HEART TV, on April 28 and 29, 2008. My overall impression was that they oversimplified sexual minority issues and did not challenge the binary opposition of heterosexuality and homosexuality at all. I am “quasi-bisexual” so I felt completely left out. While I understand that the program restricted its coverage to gays and lesbians as it was targeted to an audience with no background knowledge of sexual minority issues, I believe that it further obscured the differences among sexual minorities as well as the hidden potential of sexuality in general. My concern is that this could lead to a notional separation of one imagined body of “sexual minorities” from the “general public, ” resulting in the superficial, indifferent kind of understanding and acceptance that focuses on political correctness.

Izumi NIKI
CGS staff member

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the tenth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

Suppose that your daughter, son, mother, father, or anyone in your family all of a sudden came out to you saying they were lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. How would you respond to it? Shock, confusion, denial, distress... We still live in a society in which LGBTs are often misunderstood. Families are usually astounded and confused by the news of their loved one’s deviant sexuality, and sometimes refuse to accept it. The Association for Families and Friends of LGBTs has been working to create a community-based space for families and friends of LGBT people. I interviewed Kansai member Ms. Naomi Shimizu and Kanto members Ms. Ryoko and Mr. Takeshi Kobayashi about their experience as parents of LGBT children and their involvement in the organization.

Tomoko ENDO
Director, National Women’s Shelter Net
【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the ninth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

National Women’s Shelter Net, a nationwide network for DV (domestic violence) victim support groups, held its 10th National Shelter Symposium, “Message from Asia: Eradicating Violence Against Women,” over a period of three days from Nov 23, 2007. Being their first international forum, it was a valuable opportunity for international exchange and to share a common feeling that the damage inflicted by DV is the same across national borders. There was much to learn from other countries, such as South Korea, which have more advanced support systems than ours. It was an unprecedented event in many ways ? a total attendance of 2,500 people, widespread media coverage, an address by the Prime Minister, and sponsorship by 64 organizations. As a member of Shelter Net, I am relieved and overjoyed that this event was so successful beyond all our expectations.

Aya TAKEUCHI
Freelance writer
【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the ninth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

On November 17th 2007, Delta G held a workshop entitled “‘Pride Work’ Talk - Convincing and Satisfactory Jobs” for women and sexual minorities. The guest speakers were Mr. Issho Kon, Ms. Kyoko Okutani (Representative, WWB Japan) and Mr. Shigeru Yamamoto (Representative, Kotoba no Atelier). Okutani and Yamamoto both feature in Kon’s new book, Pride Work. WWB Japan, the Japanese branch of Women’s World Banking, was established in 1980 with the support of the United Nations and the World Bank in order to nurture women entrepreneurs. Kotoba no Atelier provides employment assistance for NEETs (young people Not in Education, Employment or Training) and hikikomori (individuals in self-confinement at home due to acute social withdrawal), through various activities such as their “All Neet Nippon” net radio program and the Tokiwa-so project. The event featured talks on actual practices such as Social Venture (social business organization), with the main theme being “Sustainable Work for Society and the Individual.”

Kazuya KAWAGUCHI
Professor, Hiroshima Shudo University
【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the ninth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】

On October 27th 2007, a General Assembly for the Establishment of the Japan Association for Queer Studies (JAQS) was held at Tokyo University’s Komaba Campus. Close to 300 people braved the terrible weather to attend the session, despite the approaching unseasonal typhoon.

Tomomi YAMAGUCHI
Assistant Professor, Montana State University

On June 10, 2007, a workshop entitled “How Does Backlash on the Internet Occur?: the Interactive Relationship Between the Mass Media and the Discursive Sphere of the Web” was held at the Spring conference of the Japan Mass Communication Association at Kumamoto Gakuen University. Among the panelists were Masami SAITO (Toyama University), Chiki OGIUE (blogger), Akihiro KITADA (University of Tokyo), Tomomi YAMAGUCHI, and a special guest, Noriaki IMAI (writer). All the panelists are bloggers with a history of opposing backlash discourse on the web. Here, I would like to focus on two points that I consider to be particularly important. Please see the reports on the workshop already posted on the web for detailed information. *