Actual problems of Japanese gender discourse
Authors:   Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Izotova Nadezda N. 
Published: December 2024

The subject of the research is gender culture in modern Japanese society in the context of globalization. The purpose of the article is to point out and characterize the current problems of gender discourse, to reveal the main trends in the transformation of gender relations. It is underlined that persistent gender ideas have roots in feudal Japan, in Confucian ideas. Specific themes of the article include: gender asymmetry, an increase in the age at marriage, decline in fertility, changes in cultural norms determining the marriage and family sphere, attitudes towards same-sex marriages and gender reassignment. The methodological basis of the research is the civilizational approach as the basis for the study of intercultural interaction, the sociocultural approach, which made it possible to consider the transformation of gender relations based on changes in value orientations, as well as methods for analyzing the crisis of identity and sexuality in line with the performa-tive theory of sex and queer theory based on the methodology of poststructuralism. The analyzed material demonstrates that the current stage in the development of Japanese society is characterized by the transformation of the value system, the erosion of traditional Japanese identity. «Civilizational drift» affects all spheres of socio-cultural life, complex of demographic, socio-economic and sociocultural factors, influences the transformation of gender relations. The globalization processes have led to changes in the system of traditional family values, the erosion of shifting gender types. Significant changes are taking place in the marriage and family sphere, which entails the loss of the institution of the family of its traditional characteristics. Along with the increase in the number of women leading a rather masculine (from the point of view of Japanese traditional morality) lifestyle, the restructuring of normative ideas about marriage, family and gender relations, the clear boundaries of the femininity – masculinity dichotomy are blurred. Despite the government's efforts to stimulate economic development by attracting more women to the labor market, gender gap in Japanese society remains a big problem. The trend in recent years has been the intensification of the movement against gender determinism. Survey results show that the majority of Japanese people support the legalization of same-sex marriage or partnerships, and the number of transgender and transsexual people is growing. The author has come to conclusions that stereotypical patriarchal masculine attitudes are combined with a revision of gender stereotypes and roles. Traditional family values are gradually losing their significance, giving way to alternative value orientations - professional activity, career growth, material independence. Gender expectations are changing, the age of marriage is increasing, the number of adherents of same-sex marriages is growing, which leads to a further decline of the birth rate.