Wittenberg University
A Topic of Silence
Japan’s Sexual Education
Heather Rucker
EAS 400 Senior Seminar
Dr. Chan
April 28th, 2019
Rucker1
Introduction
There has been a trend of some countries around the world slowly becoming more
supportive of feminism, equal rights for all, and having an open discussion about sexuality,
Japan stands out against them. While Japan is a developed country that has become much more
internationalized in recent decades, the society itself values its own traditions and many of its
people are conservative. Being traditional and conservative in and of itself is not an innately bad
thing as valuing tradition and culture is important to understand and have a connection to one’s
personal identity. But it makes one question if it is acceptable to hold onto traditional societal
values of how people are treated and to censor what is allowed to be talked about, especially in
terms of sexuality. The idea of returning to a more traditional society is becoming more pressing
in Japan and the people who support this idea are taking drastic actions. There have been
consequences reflected in how the subject of sexuality is taught in Japan’s schools.1 The ideas of
being conservative and keeping children pure of the ideas and knowledge of sexuality is
relatively new in Japan. Before the Tokugawa Period (1603-1867) in Japan’s history, sexuality
was not stigmatized but embraced more openly and easily.2 Yet, as time passed and the country
began interacting with other countries, such as China, Korea, and the West, this changed. The people experienced a drastic shift in views caused by the introduction of new ideas and philosophies having been absorbed through interactions amongst those countries. Additionally, the shifts within the government as Japan expanded its empire and its involvement in multiple wars had a significant influence on the people’s mindsets. This paper analyzes the current status
1 Phillip Brasor, “In Japan No One Wants to Talk About Sex Education,” The Japan Times, April 7, 2018, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/04/07/national/media‐national/japan‐no‐one‐wants‐talk‐sex‐ education/#.XJ_HV5hKjIV (accessed March 31, 2019). 2 Damian Flanagan, “The Shifting Sexual Norms in Japan’s Literary History,” The Japan Times, November 19th, 2016 https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2016/11/19/books/shifting‐sexual‐norms‐japans‐literary‐ history/#.XMnPIehKjIV. Rucker2
of sexual education in Japan by comparing the quality and content of Japan’s sexual education to
the United State’s sexual education, how views on sexuality in Japan have shifted from the
Tokugawa Period into present-day, what progresses and hindrances have been made in the field
of sexology, and, ultimately, how this is affecting Japanese children, teens, and young adults.
Policies for Japan’s Sexual Education Classes
In Japan, there are guidelines set for schools and educators on what is deemed
appropriate to teach their students about in terms of sexuality and sexual health, similar to the
United States. The biggest issue with this is that each school has to follow the local board of
education’s guidelines rather than a pre-determined set of guidelines that are used throughout the
entirety of Japan.3 As such, each board of education, typically made up of older politicians, is
able to decide what is deemed necessary and unnecessary towards the growth of the students.
This includes what they assume is socially acceptable for students to learn at such young ages. In
the U.S., there is a trend where the more urban a location is, the less conservative the lessons are
in sexual education classes. With this kind of trend, it is easy to assume that the more urban areas
in Japan would be the same. But the reality of the matter is that even the most urban areas have
extremely conservative curriculums in their schools. Surprisingly, many schools that have been experiencing issues on how teachers should educate in sexual education are located in the region around Tokyo. This shows that even in the most urban areas of Japan, location is not a prominent factor.4 If it was, the deciding factors of what is most important for children to learn in sexual
education classes would be more similar to the U.S. In the U.S., which topics will be taught in
3 Yumiko Takemata, Rumiko Kimura, and Akiko Tsuda, “Awareness on Sex Education among Elementary and Junior High School Teachers and Future Challenges,” Journal of the Tsuruma Health Science Society Kanazawa University 38, no. 1 (2014): 30. 4 “Tokyo Teachers Call for More Robust Approach to Sex Education,” The Asahi Shimbun, September 17, 2018, http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201809170031.html (accessed April 1, 2019). Rucker3
the classroom is decided by the government of each state. Due to this, a wide array of topics are
discussed in classrooms throughout the country. Differences are easily seen when comparing
states in the South and the North. Schools in states like California are required to teach
comprehensive lessons spanning over all topics regarding sexuality, such as assault, unwanted
pregnancies, and identity. 5 On the other hand, states like Georgia focus more on the basics and
teaching about abstinence. Educators do try to discourage students from taking part in sexual
activities, as more Christian families live in that region. Even though it varies, there is still some
kind of consistency nationwide, which is that all states teach general lessons on sexual intercourse and sexually transmitted diseases. Other topics that are more controversial are what
vary from state to state.6
The guidelines in Japan are more conservative and try to word their way around saying
essential vocabulary, such as sexual intercourse.7 Many schools only half-heartedly teach each
subject within the sexual education curriculum, such as how conception occurs and why using a
condom can help prevent pregnancy. But educators try to avoid explaining how to use condoms
correctly or what changes the body undergoes during pregnancy in-depth.8 The inaccuracy of what students are being taught has led to a rise in junior high and high school girls dropping out of school due to pregnancy and abortion rates. In 2010, there were a recorded 38,000 pregnancies in girls from the ages of 15-19 and almost 53% percent of them were ended in abortions.9 The
5 Sarah Shapiro and Catherine Brown, “Sex Education Standards Across the States,” Center for American Progress, May 8th, 2018. 6 Ibid. 7Chieko Ishiwata, “Sexual Health Education for School Children in Japan: The timing and contents,” Japan Medical Association Journal 54, no. 3 (May/June 2011): 158. 8 Ibid. 9 Gilda Sedgh, Lawrence B. Finer, Akinrinola Bankole, Michelle A. Eilers, and Susheela Singh, “Adolescent Pregnancy, Birth, and Abortion Rates Across Countries: Levels and Recent Trends,” Journal of Adolescent Health 56, no. 2 (February 2015). Rucker4
rate of abortions among girls from the age of 10-14 was 80%, though the number of pregnancies
were fewer. The United States, on the other hand, has taken on a nationwide initiative to inform
middle and high schoolers about how to safely have sex, what risks come with it, etc. This program was created during the Obama administration and since its creation the teenage birthrate has dropped more than 40 percent. Although, under the Trump administration, a lot of the funding for this program have been cut, which could possibly lead to a sudden increase in numbers again.10
The Effect of These Policies
Aside from the limited information students gain about the usage of condoms, the
discussion of contraception in other forms, such as the birth control pill and IUDs, are essentially
non-existent in Japan. Sexually-transmitted diseases or STDs, such as HIV and AIDs, are also
topics discussed but there is no explanation on how these diseases can be passed from one person
to the other through other means, like oral or anal sex. There is just the overlying idea that if a
condom is used properly STDs will be prevented.11 Aside from HIV and AIDs, lessons on other
types of STDs are kept out of the curriculum and not given the same level of importance despite
being more common to contract through sexual intercourse.12 Yet again, this dismissal of what is
actually important for these students to learn in order to take part in safe and consensual sex for
all participating parties is being ignored. A popular ideology is that if children or teenagers do
not obtain information on the act of sex itself, that they will refrain from partaking until they are
10 Aaron E. Carroll, “Sex Education Based on Abstinence? There’s a Real Absence of Evidence,” The New York Times, August 22nd, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/upshot/sex‐education‐based‐on‐abstinence‐theres‐a‐ real‐absence‐of‐evidence.html. 11 Ishiwata, “Sexual Health Education for School Children in Japan: The timing and contents,” 159. 12 Jonathan Watts, “Japan Tackles Sexually Transmitted Diseases,” Science and Medicine 354, no. 9176 (July 1999): 405, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140‐6736(05)75832‐3. Rucker5
older. But this does not do anything to stop teenagers or even older children from having sexual
intercourse. It only increases the potential dangers of what could happen to them in terms of both
health and their social lives. There is the saying “Just because you cannot see it does not mean it
is not there,” which seems to strongly resonate with the predicament at hand. The ignorance and
dismissal that exists amongst each board of education in Japan is only creating a new problem
rather than helping.
Overall, in addition to teenage pregnancy and abortion rates, the spread of STDs has also
increased exponentially.13 Since the late 1990s, the rates at which STDs have been contracted by
young adults from the ages 15-19 has grown at alarming rates. In the time span of 1996-1999,
there was a 20% increase among this age group with a 5% decrease in the usage of condoms and
birth control.14 This trend has not slowed, especially among those who have contracted syphilis.
Annually, out of the number of people who are reported having contracted syphilis, the majority
are those in their mid-twenties to early thirties.15 Even though the numbers reported for teenagers
is relatively smaller than this age group, this does not mean that they are not affected. In addition
to the results varying amongst each age group, they also vary amongst men and women.
According to a study on how the rates of syphilis have increased from 2012 to 2016, the number
of males reported contracting syphilis from the age group 25-29 and older outnumber those
reported for females in the same age group significantly. What is interesting though is that the number of females from the ages 10-24 not only outweigh the numbers for males in those older
13 Ibid. 14 Watts, “Japan Tackles Sexually Transmitted Diseases,” 405. 15 Takuri Takahashi, Yuzo Arima, Takuya Yamaguchi, Shingo Nishiki, Mizue Kanai, Masahiro Ishikane, Tamano Matsui, Tomimasa Sunagawa, Makoto Ohnishi, and Kazunori Oishi, “Rapid Increase in Reports of Syphilis Associated with Men Who Have Sex With Women and Women Who Have Sex With Men, Japan, 2012 to 2016,” Sexually Transmitted Diseases 45, no. 3 (November 2017): 141, https://doi.org/ 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000768 (accessed February 15, 2019). Rucker6
age groups, but have sharply risen in that four year time span.16 A general yet sudden increase in
rates for each age group was found in this study, which is alarming as it indicates that all age
groups are taking part in unsafe sex. The reason behind these numbers could indicate something
else is occurring socially but the numbers of young women reported having syphilis, in addition
to the rates of teenage pregnancy reported, could be a strong correlation with having received
inadequate sexual education. Additionally, if there was a correlation, it can be perceived that the
adults now, who are more sexually active in that age range, are also affected by their sexual
education. They could have possibly not received the proper information on STDs while in
school, causing this surge in numbers. Change in these numbers do not go unnoticed by the
government. While the connection between sexual education and STDs has not been confirmed,
in 2016, a campaign to increase awareness on the dangers of STDs that encourages people be
tested began.17 This campaign utilizes Sailor Moon, a magical girl character from a 1990’s anime
that is internationally known, by having posters of her hung up saying an edited version of her
slogan, “If you don’t get tested, you will be punished!”18 While this might not appeal to older
generations, students in college grew up watching this anime, possibly making it more eye-
catching if they saw the posters hanging up on their campuses. Overall this campaign has had
little to no effect on the rates of STDs.19 Although it can be argued that this campaign has
occurred too recently and over too short a span of time to make any assumptions as of yet.
In conjunction with the conservative guidelines teachers are given and the lack of informative sexual education practices, many teachers themselves do not feel comfortable
16 Ibid. 17 Isabella Steger, “Syphilis is Making a Big Comeback in Japan and the Government is Enlisting Sailor Moon’s Help to Fight It,” Quartz, January 10, 2017, https://qz.com/881845/syphilis‐is‐making‐a‐big‐comeback‐in‐japan‐and‐the‐ government‐is‐enlisting‐sailor‐moons‐help‐to‐fight‐it/ (accessed February 24, 2019). 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid. Rucker7
teaching about these topics. Whether it be due to their own bias or lack of knowledge, these
teachers are teaching only what the board of education specified in their guidelines that need to
be taught.20 A dilemma has begun as many of these educators are being asked by students about
topics relating to sexuality outside of the classroom, usually due to these students being troubled
by something in their personal lives or just pure curiosity. Many times these teachers do not have
adequate knowledge to help the student in question, even if it is just advice.21 If those questions
pertain to sexual assault that could be occurring within that student’s home or with other students, the lack of knowledge these teachers are facing could be potentially dangerous, as this could be a call for help. There is a lack of knowledge on the teacher’s part as well. They may not know the fact that some students, from ages as young as 10, could have experienced or regularly taken part in sexual activities with their own peers. Since these students have not learned about sexual intercourse and what precautions to take from their classes, they may be learning through media and other students, which is a dangerous factor. It is likely that the peers they are learning from also have a limited amount of knowledge, meaning that inaccurate information is being spread throughout schools. In addition to this, the portrayal of sex and relationships through media is dramatized and not accurate to what actually occurs in real relationships. A common theme is the main character being with an abusive significant other. This could be either mentally or physically, but that character is often put down by their abusor. Despite being hurt constantly by the person who “loves” them, that character will brush it off. There is a common mindset that the abuser is broken due to things in their past, so the abused feels to need to help them “change” and become “a better person”. If children or young adults were to try to replicate what they see
20 Takemata, Kimura, and Tsuda, “Awareness on Sex Education among Elementary and Junior High School Teachers and Future Challenges,” 36. 21 Ibid., 39. Rucker8
characters do on television or in movies, this could cause them to create unhealthy relationships
and mindsets about the treatment of one’s significant other. This goes without saying that any
child with access to media will be exposed to these portrayals. But through the education and
knowledge gained through sexual education classes, students can learn to differentiate what is
fake and what is reality.
Cultural Mindset
Another difference between the Japan and the U.S.’s sexual education systems is how
both countries view the possible outcomes that come from teaching about sexuality. In the U.S.,
depending on the region, there is a more widespread acceptance that sexual education is
necessary for the growth of younger generations. Though there are some states within the U.S.,
such as Indiana or Texas, that are in similar situations to Japan. The Future of Sexual Education,
an organization in the U.S. promoting sexual education, has often advertised there being a
positive effect on students who receive a comprehensive sexual education. Their main claim is
that students begin to receive better grades in all other classes they are taking after receiving
sexual education.22 Currently there is no evidence or studies that can confirm whether that
statement is true or not. What they insinuate is that the more knowledge students have about
sexuality, the less likely they are to take part in sexual intercourse, making them focus more on
their futures. In comparison, Japan is the complete opposite. There is the common view that if
students learn about sex, they will immediately start participating in the actions themselves. A
22 “National Sexuality Education Standards: Core Content and Skills, K‐12,” Future of Sex Education, http://www.futureofsexed.org/documents/josh‐fose‐standards‐web.pdf (accessed February 9th, 2019). Rucker9
common phrase for this is “waking a sleeping child” or “waking sleeping dog.” 2324 Once those
students know, they will be uncontrollable and unruly, controlled purely by their hormones and
lust. While most American parents are supportive of their children receiving sexual education,
parents in Japan are much more reluctant because of this mindset. There is an overarching theme
of the government and politicians trying to give families more power and the responsibility of
teaching their own children about sex the way they would prefer to.25 An issue with this is, just
like with teachers, many parents do not know or understand more than the most basic
information on sex, meaning their children will receive less than adequate knowledge. Many
parents in the U.S. also lack this knowledge, but due to them recognizing this, they put their faith
in the school system to teach their children what they are unable to teach themselves. There is
danger behind the actions of the Japanese government pushing for families to teach their own
children on this subject matter. There is the possibility that the child will not feel comfortable
discussing topics of sexual assault that they could be experiencing outside of their home with
their parents. A teacher is assumed to be a person that students can trust to help and aid them if
these issues occur. If the sexual assault occurs within the home or the parents of the child display
an unhealthy relationship, the child may feel trapped because there is no real option to talk to
someone outside of their household. The idea of parents choosing what they deem as appropriate
for their child to learn about is understandable, as it is their own child, but it also means keeping
their child in the dark about issues that may concern them as they grow older.
23 Harui Asai, Kaori Ushitora, and Atsuko Tsuruta, eds, Why is Sexual Education Necessary Now?: 50 Q&A’s Concerning the Encouragement of Comprehensive Sexual Education, (Tokyo: Otoshishoten, 2018), 15. 24 Yumiko Takemata, Rumiko Kimura, and Akiko Tsuda, “Awareness on Sex Education among Elementary and Junior High School Teachers and Future Challenges.” Journal of the Tsuruma Health Science Society Kanazawa University 38, no. 1 (2014): 39. 25 Chieko Ishiwata, “Sexual Health Education for School Children in Japan: The timing and contents,”159. Rucker10
One of the biggest differences between the two countries’ styles of teaching sexual
education is at which grade levels specific topics are taught. A quick glance at a comparison of
America’s National Sexuality Education Standards to an overview of Japan’s sexual education
guidelines, created by the Japan Medical Association Journal, shows how much faster and
detailed the classes in America move forward. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the
majority of useful information about sexual intercourse is omitted from the classrooms in Japan.
In America, not only do they start teaching about it at younger ages, it is more detailed and
inclusive. For example, 5th graders should be able to not only understand how to use a condom
but are also able to explain to others about its uses.26 There are also topics discussed at lower
levels, such as heterosexual and homosexual relationships, pregnancy, childbirth, and how to
know if you are being sexually assaulted.27 Not only are these explained, but students are given resources to find more information along with places they can contact if they are being affected by said things and have no one else they can contact. But these are completely excluded from the guidelines from Japan. In addition, some of the basic ideas and information that are taught in the lower levels of American schools are instead taught at a high school level, such as human dignity and learning to respect others.28 Not teaching these basic ideas at a younger age could impact
how students view each other as people and how the relationships they have in the future could possibly be hindered by a lack of respect for others.
Historical Overview
When looking at the contrasts between these two countries’ education systems, it makes
one wonder if the views of sexuality in Japan have always been this conservative and how the
26 “National Sexuality Education Standards.” 27 Ibid. 28 Chieko Ishiwata, “Sexual Health Education for School Children in Japan: The timing and contents,” 157. Rucker11
efforts to censor information on it have worsened. Contrary to how it is viewed in present-day
Japan, until the Tokugawa period, also known as the Edo period, the views on sex and sexuality were more open-minded and accepting. As the Japanese people valued nature and saw sex as an act of nature itself, as it brings children into the world, there was no discussion of it is immoral or not.29 Valuing nature was, and still is, a key part to one of Japan’s religions, Shinto, so to view
sex as something wrong would be going against those views. In addition to there being an
acceptance of sex by the society, acts of sexual intercourse and other activities, such as
masturbation, were also accepted and found in various pieces of popular literature such as Genji
Monogatari, (The Tales of Genji), and the Manyoushu, (The Collection of Ten Thousand
Leaves).30 The entire story of Genji Monogatari centers around Genji, the son born of a
concubine and the Japanese emperor, and how he obtains enlightenment. Throughout his life story, episodes of his affairs with eight women are described in detail. The Manyoushu is also
compiled of thousands of pieces of poetry written by lovers to describe their longing for each
other and, just like Genji Monogatari, their affairs with each other. Genji Monogatari was
written during the Heian period (794-1185), which is known as a time in Japan when art and
poetry bloomed, as the upper-class families devoted their time to sitting in their beautiful homes
reciting poetry to one another. Within these time periods before the Tokugawa shogunate, the
leader of Japan’s army who had more control over Japan’s government than the emperor, gained
control, there was not nearly as much censorship regarding sex, despite the political unrest at the
time.
29 Huiyan Fu, “The Bumpy Road to Socialise Nature: Sex Education in Japan,” Culture, Health & Sexuality 13, no. 8 (September 2011): 904. 30 Ibid., 905. Rucker12
During the beginning of the Tokugawa Period another form of art began to emerge at this
time called shunga, which was art created by wood-block printing. This differs from hanga, the
more general term used for wood-block printing, as it was used to create erotic scenes and
pictures. These prints, along with many scrolls and other paintings, were a part of an artistic
movement called ukiyo-e, “the floating world.” 31 They depicted brothels, couples making love, and men taking pleasure in both women and men. The reason for such a sudden boom of this kind of art is due to the rules and regulations the government established at the time. In the years before the Tokugawa period, seemingly endless civil wars fought on and finally ended with the new government. The shogunate wanted to control society as to stop any further unrest from
occurring and rules that followed Neo-Confucian values were established. Confucianism was
introduced to Japan at a much earlier date and during the Tokugawa period it resurfaced. This
split up all Japanese people into four groups; warriors, peasants, artisans, and merchants.32
Merchants were seen as the lowest, as they only sold wares created from other’s hard work, but,
in reality, they were the ones who benefited the most from this new societal structure. The reason
lies behind further actions the government took to control the Japanese people. In addition to
these four groups being established, stricter laws were created to force Japanese people to live
chaste and moral lives. Freedom to live as one wants along with the liberties of artistic freedom
were impinged upon, as the strictest of these laws were regarding censorship. Anything that
could possibly lead to revolt against the Neo-Confucian society was censored.33 Topics regarding
Christianity, the Tokugawa family, and sexual desires were banned.34 As this was the during the
31 Sarah E. Thompson and H.D. Harootunian, Undercurrents in the Floating World: Censorship and Japanese Prints (New York: The Asia Society Galleries, 1991), 6. 32 Ibid, 12 33 Ibid, 82. 34 Ibid, 32. Rucker13
time in which Japan was not open to foreign powers, the government did not want to bring
outside values in that could cause the people to go against them. Depictions of the Tokugawa
family were banned so as to minimize criticism against the family and to stop any possible plans
to overthrow them. And finally, sexual desires encouraged people to go against the Neo-
Confucian values the government wanted to encourage. The actions that the government took to
control the people did nothing but cause artists to create new pieces that went against these laws
and for regular townspeople to indulge in pleasures they had never experienced before.35 The entertainment districts of the three major cities, such as Edo, present-day Tokyo, Kyoto, and
Osaka, grew to be larger and more luxurious. Merchants benefited more than before as brothels were frequented at increasing rates and customers sought out the illegal pornography that only
merchants were able to supply. Daimyo, feudal lords, samurai, warriors, and townspeople visited
so often that they stopped attending to their jobs and built up debt they could not pay back.36
Samurai were seen more frequently in brothels than working, selling their own swords and gear so they could make money to go back for more. Despite the intentions that the Tokugawa shogunate had to create a new moral and virtuous Japan, the society instead spiraled deep into the depths of pleasure. This was looked down upon by the government, but by this point merchants and pleasure districts had more control over the ideals of the people. As decades passed, this became more and more of a problem, as the censorship laws were barely heeded by the publishers who were given the position of deciding what does and does not follow the established regulations.37 The thought that present-day Japan has this history is almost
inconceivable. After the arrival of Commodore Perry, a commodore of the United States Navy,
35 Ibid, 14. 36 Ibid, 17. 37 Ibid, 39. Rucker14
in 1853, the Americans and British who visited were appalled by what they saw in Japan. There were written accounts about what they saw in the streets of Japan and that no one showed any shame for how openly sexual they were. 38 It was at this point on that Japan became increasingly
more conservative. As America forced Japan to open up its ports to trade by not so subtly threatening to go to battle with them, the Japanese were introduced to the wonders of the West.
This includes how Westerners view certain topics. Although the United States has become more liberal and open in relation to sexuality, at this point in history, anything that remotely relates to sex is looked down upon. For this reason, along with new science, machinery, fashion, etc., censorship in Japan became akin to that of Western countries.39
The Influence of Westerners
The troubling factor about the acceptance of Western values, especially in terms of
sexuality, is that it forced a complete 180 degree change of what is viewed as acceptable and embraced and what is looked down upon and scorned. At the time that the Americans came to
Japan, the Western world was undergoing a movement against sex. It was “impure” and all sexual acts that were not between a married, heterosexual couple were shamed. This movement not only found fault with homosexual relations but also with masturbation. Masturbation amongst men was marred as sinful by Christians as it could lead to them going crazy with desire.
This was the same with women who participated in sexual relations outside of marriage or pleasuring themselves. A woman who sought out pleasure had to be affected by hysteria. Even though these views were harsh, the Japanese government saw this as an opportunity to control the people. While the Tokugawa government made attempts to do this previously and failed, the
38 Frank A. Turk, The Prints of Japan (London: Arco Publications, 1966), 109. 39 Thompson and Harootunian, Undercurrents of the Floating World: Censorship and Japanese Prints, 29. Rucker15
Meiji Government was successful. Under the guise of modernization, the Japanese government
formatted itself around European and the American governments. Rallies for the modernization
of Japan occurred in order to get the Japanese people motivated. In doing so, people’s mindsets changed, and they decided they wanted to work for this change. Unknowingly, they fell into the
control of the government.40 Through this control, the moral society that was sought after in the
centuries before could finally be realized. But in the early 1900s and onwards, the feminist and
sexology movements in the West began to gain attention. As people were pressured by society to
conform to certain roles and rules, there was backlash that came with it. From this time period on
until the mid-1970s there were many famous sexologists in Japan who emerged and began the
conversation about sex openly.
Many sexologists, past and present, argue that through the Western powers coming to
Japan and “civilizing” its people, erotophobia and homophobia were also introduced.41 During the Tokugawa Period, it was openly accepted that people could have sexual relations with whomever they would like, regardless of gender. The same goes for masturbation. It is a natural way to release tension when one does not have another person to copulate with, as long as it was not done in excess. These sexologists theorize that there was not such a heavy presence of erotophobia and homophobia in Japan until Westerners brought Christian propaganda that reinforced those fears.42 Through the interactions, documents, and literature of the Westerners,
Japanese people believed that masturbation would turn young people into wild beasts if it was
continued to be allowed. The reason why there was such an influx of this Christian propaganda
40 Nobutaka Ike, “Western Influences on the Meiji Restoration,” Pacific Historical Review 17, no. 1 (Feb. 1948): 6. 41 Mark Driscoll, “Seeds and (Nest) Eggs of Empire: Sexology Manuals/ Manual Sexology,” in Gendering Modern Japanese History, eds. Barbara Molony and Kathleen Uno (Cambridge: Harvard University Asian Center, 2005), 194‐ 197. 42 Ibid, 195. Rucker16
and how the movement against sex and masturbation began in the West ties to the concept of
onanism. It originates from Onan, a son of Judah mentioned in the book of Genesis in the Bible.
He would take part in sexual pleasures with his wife but would not continue his family’s
bloodline by having children. Despite Onan not actually taking part in the act of masturbation,
during intercourse he pulled out and “spilled his seed on the ground.”43 Through this one portion of the Bible, the Western world was thrown into chaos. A pamphlet was distributed in 1710
called “The Heinous Sin of Selfpollution,” warning about the sinfulness of masturbation and the
consequences that come with it.44 The frenzy that this created did not subside until around the
1920s. Similar to what occurred during the Tokugawa Period in Japan, there was a sexual
revolution in the West that went against the pressures of this movement. This also reoccurred in
Japan but the idea that sex is not to be talked about openly and taking pleasure in it outside of
marriage is bad had already been instilled into the public masses. Sabine Frühstück, a well-
known Viennese Japanologist, said that the actions the Europeans took to enforce their ideas of
what constitutes as “normal sex” were actually efforts to colonize the sexuality of Japanese
people.45 This is in many ways true for the general public. But this also led to Japanese
sexologists of the time to question what is being presented to them by Westerners. Two famous
sexologists, Mori Ougai and Tanaka Kougai, wondered how this repressive view came to be.
They proceeded to conduct in-depth research on sex throughout history in multiple empires, such
as ancient Greece, China, etc.46 Through this research, they found that the views of Westerners
have strayed from what used to be common. Mori and Tanaka, in addition to many others, from this time on began publishing their own research and thoughts. Even when compared to views of
43 Gn 38: 8‐10. 44 Bill Bynum, “Onanism,” The Lancet 358, (September 2001): 1020. 45 Mark Driscoll, “Seeds and (Nest) Eggs of Empire: Sexology Manual and Manual Sexology,”195. 46 Ibid., 197. Rucker17
people now, what they believed was extremely liberal and emphasized the acceptance of being
open about sexuality for not just men, but women included. They refuted the idea that
masturbation was evil and insisted that it was difficult and not healthy for young people to
repress their sexual desire.47 In addition to this, they argue that the villainization of women who
lead openly sexual lives is hypocritical as men are not held to the same standards. Women have
the same amount of sexual desire as men, but they are expected to repress sexual urges.48 These ideas stood out against the common thought of the time and were very unpopular. Due to the military government and the consistent amount of wars that Japan was involved in , not much attention was paid to it.
Before Confucianism was brought over around the 8th century, families were more
matrilineal rather than the current patrilineal society. Women had more power than one would
assume for that time period, including being able to divorce their husbands, own and inherit land,
and embark in affairs without being shunned.49 But after Confucianism was introduced in the 8th century, the government set up strict rules for each class and the rights that women had previously been granted were taken away. The government officials hoped to control women living as peasants and farmers, and to overall create a uniform image of what all Japanese women should conform to.50 At the same time, men were allowed to take part in adultery without
having many consequences, as they may be more susceptible to being violent if they are not
given their sexual release.51 This thought process, which still has an effect on both women and
men even now, created a misogynistic society in which women are seen as having no other use
47 Ibid., 201. 48 Ibid., 208‐209. 49 Hsaio‐Chuan Hsia and John H. Scanzoni, “Rethinking the Roles of Japanese Women,” Journal of Comparative Family Studies 27, no. 2 (1996): 310. 50 Fu, “The Bumpy Road to Socialise Nature: Sex Education in Japan,” 905. 51 Ibid., 906. Rucker18
apart from being mothers and wives. Expectations for women continuously became stricter due
to the idea of being a “good wife and wise mother” introduced by the Meiji government (1868-
1912). They were no longer seen as human beings the same way their male counterparts were. If
they were expressive of their opinions and defied social standards, they were labeled as
hysterical. Tanaka Kougai, one of the previously discussed sexologists, opposes this:
The contemporary situation of hysterical (though powerful and “supernaturally strong”) women was actually like that of ancient East Asia, where women were religious and political leaders and powerfully erotic at the same time. At a time when there was intermixing between the five ethnicities in East Asia, which produced the current ethnoracial makeup of the Japanese, hysterics had “overwhelming power” that made them respected and feared like authoritative priestesses. According to Tanaka’s genealogy, the appearance of independent and powerful women “started in the ancient East, then was imported into Greece, where it found its way into ancient Rome.” Suppressed by Christianity, powerful women re-emerged as the witches of feudal Europe, only to then be transformed into the hysterics of European sexology.52
Despite how powerful Japanese women were in the past, this is disregarded as Japan was yet to
be “civilized” by the West. Women who spend their lives devoted to their families became the powerful ones while “hysterical” women who defied the homemaking lifestyle were seen as selfish. Nowadays, women who decide to work rather than have a family are not seen as hysterical, but many people believe they should quit their jobs to have children. Some older generations may find women who choose their jobs over a husband and children to be selfish due to these lingering conservative ideals.
A Shift in Relationships
While the United States and other Western countries shaped the views that Japanese people
have towards sex during the Meiji Period (1868-1912) and the Taisho Period (1912-1926), as
52 Mark Driscoll, “Seeds and (Nest) Eggs of Empire,” 209. Rucker19
decades passed, they challenged the very views they constructed. The Americans brought over a
new dating culture that gave young people more freedom to be open about their own relationships
and sexuality. After World War II, with both the American occupation of Japan (1945-1952) and
the Americans rewriting Japan’s constitution, Western lifestyles and behaviors began to push its
way into Japanese society. This is not a claim that all Japanese people openly accepted this or that
their own unique culture has been erased, but due to how prominent the Westerner’s way of life
was in Japan, there were some changes and adaptations that have occurred continuously for
decades since then. One of the best examples of this is kissing in public. In Japan, kissing was not
interpreted as a way to express love and affection for others, but rather something akin to sexual
intercourse. Due to this, the Japanese viewed kissing in public as extremely immoral and not
something others should be subjected to seeing. 53
Although kissing was looked down upon and held a nasty connotation to it, as more
literature and movies from America and Europe made its way over, plus the addition of American
soldiers stationed in Japan during the Occupation openly kissing their girlfriends, the more
Japanese people were exposed to it. This brought forward the issue of older generations and
younger generations having differing views over how kissing should be treated. The older
generations wanted to stick to tradition and reject what the West was trying to bring over, negative feelings having been intensified after WWII. Kissing is much more a physical way of expressing
love to Japanese people, so as kissing became more and more common amongst young Japanese
people, the more the older generation became appalled. They painted Americans as barbaric and
obscene for doing something like kissing, going against what has been historically acceptable in
Japan for lovers to do. These feelings strongly resonated with politicians and government officials,
53 Shunsuke Kamei, “The Kiss and Japanese Culture after World War II,” Comparative Literature Studies 18, no. 2 (June 1981): 114. Rucker20
causing the Censorship Office of the Home Ministry passing a law that prohibited movies that
contained the word “kiss” in the title and had every scene that contained kissing, embracing,
dancing, etc. to be cut.54 But at the same time the younger generation was drawn to these new ideas
about dating and expressing love. In addition to this, they also wanted to go against the old ways
of the government in order to express their feelings and what their dreams are.55 For the following
years after World War II, there was this constant back and forth between those against kissing and
those for kissing. Rather than discussion and arguments around this topic dying out, it became
frequently talked about due to exposure in media, especially in new movies, literature, and
magazines. While opinions on kissing seemed to be becoming more open-minded, conservative
values began to appear again. Through many popular magazines, there was the idea that kissing is
okay as long as the people who are taking part in the act have intentions on marrying.56 If marriage
does not occur and that couple end up breaking it off, that is when the kissing is looked down upon
and the girl is shamed, as kissing meant she has promised her chastity to whomever she kissed.57
Through both this one point in history and the current views of how sexual education should be taught in Japan, it is obvious how much the importance of preserving the purity of students and young adults is stressed. These efforts to keep them in the dark about anything relating to sex or intimate relationships emphasize how much the older generations wishes to control the younger generations. Embracing sexuality and the need for sexual education means losing this control and there is uncertainty of what will happen to Japan’s society. But until this control is given up, the younger generation may continue to feel the urge to go against what higher authorities are telling them.
54 Ibid., 115. 55 Ibid. 56 Ibid., 120. 57 Ibid. Rucker21
The Sexology Movement and The Government’s Objections
In those postwar years, kissing and dating were not the only things that gained attention. A
new sexologist named Takahashi Tetsu became interested in this introduction of “free love” to
Japan. He published many books and multiple sexology magazines called Amatoria, Ningen Fukko,
and Ningen Tankyuu.58 During the Occupation, censorship laws were lifted so Takahashi took it
as a great opportunity to de-stigmatize talk about sex amongst people and to be able to research on
topics that have never been explored before. Within his publications, he would include sections
titled “86 conditions to produce sexual atmosphere” that would discuss how to make the moment more intimate along recommendations of poses.59 Out of all his publications, the magazine called
Seishin Report gained the most attention. Despite having under 300 readers, the government
became interested in what kind of topics were being discussed. Even though censorship laws that
were in place before the war were redacted, the Japanese government still made an effort to have
control over the general public 60 People like Takahashi were the main point of interest.
Encouraging Japanese people to take part in a more openly sexual society became a risk to the
conservative older generation. To counteract this encouragement, Japan’s Department of
Education passed a new policy to encourage “purity education.” Mark McLelland explains what
this consisted of:
Purity Education was essentially conceived as the means of promoting “wholesome thought” and providing guidance on “correct relations between men and women” and establishing “sexual virtue.” Establishing “correct” attitudes toward sexuality- in particular, through linking sexuality to reproduction in the context of the monogamous nuclear family- was clearly articulated by architects of the purity education policy as a key “nation building” initiative in response to the social instability of the early postwar years.61
58 Mark McLelland, “Takahashi Tetsu and Popular Sexology in Early Postwar Japan ,1845‐1970,” in A Global History of Sexual Science, 1880‐1960, eds. Veronika Fuechtner, Douglas E. Haynes, and Ryan M. Jones (Oakland: University of California Press, 2018), 216. 59 Ibid, 217. 60 Ibid. 61 Ibid, 220. Rucker22
Through this policy, an idea of “normal” sexual relationships has been constructed and enforced,
similar to what the Westerners did when they first arrived in Japan. But instead of focusing on
those who were already actively taking part in sex, they focused on the youngest generations. If
schools were able to ingrain the idea of what is wholesome and moral into student’s heads, the
government would not have to worry about what happens to them in the future. They have
effectively nipped the problem in the bud. Additionally, the government began the New Life
Movement which enforced the idea that what is deemed appropriate sexually and acceptable for
others is not determined by individual people.62 Instead, it was up to the government to decide.
Even though the previous Japanese government was over-thrown, and the Americans were heavily
involved in the reconstruction of it, many aspects of it remained strong. The government still watched over people like Takahashi and took action against them whenever was deemed fair.
Eventually Takahashi was taken to court for articles that were published in Seishin Report. The
reason for this was because these articles were made up of not only research conducted by
Takahashi, but also stories of real-life sexual encounters of members of the Nihon Seikatsu Shinri
Gakkai. This group was created by Takahashi and made up of people interested in studying the
psychology of Japan’s lifestyles.63 The described accounts of the members were too obscene to be
published for the general public, despite the magazine only being distributed amongst the members.
Disregarding this factor, the Japanese government claimed that under Paragraph 175 Takahashi and his members broke the law. Paragraph 175 was a law regarding the publication of obscene pictures and writings. If either of these were published and sold for profit, the author of the works
would be taken to trial. Unfortunately for Takahashi, readers of the magazine had to pay to receive
62 Ibid. 63 Ibid., 223. Rucker23
a copy, just enough to cover printing costs. Takahashi thought that this was something so minor
that the government would pay no mind to it, but he was wrong. After being subjected to two court cases, which lasted more than a decade for one, Takahashi was declared guilty. He passed away shortly after his second trial. His views on sexuality in Japan changed during this time. In his younger years, he believed that Japan was going through a “sexual revolution”, leaving behind its
conservative past. But in the end, he stated firmly that this is just a lie.64 Despite the efforts he
went through to encourage others to discuss sexuality and go against cultural norms, people chose
not push against what the government was enforcing. Japan was almost completely unchanged.65
The old government has not allowed the liberation of its people for the sake of control and sticking to conservative values.
Modern Relationships and Their Portrayals
This tension between the older and younger generations has not gone away through the
past decades. The negative stigma around kissing in public is still discussed, to the point that
foreigners assume that Japanese people are prude because they have heard that if a couple so much
as holds hands or kiss in public they will be jeered at. But, compared to the time when kissing
more casually and openly was first introduced to Japan, today’s younger generation kisses much
more freely. According to a survey given to young Japanese men and women, while kissing is still
seen as important and very intimate, more people are kissing others they have no interest in
pursuing a relationship with. In general, they are kissing more. Women are especially more open
to this idea. Ninety percent of the women that took part in this survey replied to the question “Have
all of your kisses led to a dating relationship?” with a simple “No.”66 Even though Japanese women
64 Ibid. 65 Mark McLelland, “Takahashi Tetsu and Popular Sexology,” 226. 66 Karen Masuda, “The State of Kissing in Japan,” Japan Today, September 8th, 2012, https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/the‐state‐of‐kissing‐in‐japan (accessed March 8, 2019). Rucker24
are portrayed as not wanting to stray from traditional values and seeking a partner to satisfy her
family, in many ways they are doing the opposite. The young men who took part in this survey also had similar responses, just slightly less than the women, at 88.2%.67 As the spread of what is
deemed as a desirable and exciting relationship, or even just a hook up, continues to appear in
Japanese media, the more young people pine for such things. It can be assumed that not only young
adults yearn for this but also children in elementary and middle schools, as they are also subjected
to these types of media. There is a genre of manga, Japanese comics, that is specifically aimed at
young girls called shoujo manga, with storylines focusing around first loves and relationships in
school. These comics create a fantasy for these girls that makes them idealize relationships and
hope to have one of their own soon.68 While the comics and television shows created for young
boys tend to focus on action and adventure, some female characters are portrayed as sexy or
extremely feminine. Despite the characters usually being in middle school or high school, female
characters will have large breasts and clothes that seem to accentuate their body shape too much.
Those character designs seem like they should be for the characters in comics and shows aimed at
adults. Combining the fact that young people in Japan are being shown these idealistic
relationships, causing them to want their own, and that they do not have the same negative feelings
that older generations have towards intimacy with the other sex, there is not much keeping them
from taking part in sexual intercourse. This poses a risky situation as they have received little to
no sexual education and a higher chance of experimenting sexually at a younger age due to less
reluctance. Without knowledge about sexual intercourse and its dangers, the only thing that would
be keeping them from experimenting would be the views of society. The fears of contracting a
67 Ibid. 68 Masami Toku, “Shojo Manga! Girls’ Comics! A Mirror of Girls’ Dreams,” Mechademia 2 (2007): 30. Rucker25
sexually-transmitted disease or having an unwanted pregnancy is not present. The curiosity they
have from media combined with less resistance create a risky mixture.
If a child does undergo a change after being exposed to this kind of media or sexual
education, what are parents in Japan expected to do? The Japanese government desires for a return
to families dealing with their own children learning about such matters. But based off parent-child
relationships from the 20th century onwards, there has not been much of an effort being made in
the typical Japanese family. From a young age, children are taught to be kind and empathetic by
their parents.69 An emphasis is put onto creating good relationships with others. This is similar to
how American parents raise their children, but one crucial aspect differs: disciplining children.
The morals and thought processes of Japanese and American people have both been shaped by
each country’s histories and cultural backgrounds. In America, it is very common for parents to
verbally address what their child has done wrong, how their actions have affected others, and what
they need to do to make up for their actions. Disciplining children is not always done verbally in
America. Physically punishing children is almost as commonplace. Coincidentally, similar to the
movement against masturbation, these disciplinary actions stemmed from radical Christian
ideologies that children are innately bad and need “the devil beaten out of them.” It is not always
true that parents discipline this way, but it is still prevalent in America. According to Susan D.
Holloway and Ayumi Nagase’s book, “Child Rearing in Japan,” Japanese parents take a more
passive role in child-rearing. They do this to instill an understanding and feeling of empathy for
others, when their children misbehave, they may not reprimand their children.70 Rather, parents
point out the consequences of their children’s actions and how it made the other person feel.71
69 Susan D. Holloway and Ayumi Nagase, “Child Rearing in Japan,” in Parenting Across Cultures: Childrearing, Motherhood and Fatherhood in Non‐Western Cultures, ed. Helaine Selin (New York: Springer, 2014), 63. 70 Ibid, 65. 71 Ibid. Rucker26
Some may also not point out the faults of their own children as they fear humiliating them. Another
childrearing tactic that Japanese parents use is mimamoru, which means to watch over. When their
children are behaving badly or fighting with other children, they do not intervene and instead just
watch.72 Later on, the parent will ask their child about why the fight broke out and why it is not a
good thing. Neither of these examples of childrearing are bad. They may be even more effective
than those that American parents utilize. And of course, as this is only one source, this generalization may not be so in the case of many parent-child relationships. But these examples
express how some parent-child relationships in Japan may not be very direct. At young ages,
children are less likely to be negatively affected by the way their parents interact with them in this
sense. The problem appears when their parents are continuing to be passive in their children’s lives
as they grow older. If this problem is apparent in their relationship, when issues and questions
come up about sexual education parents may feel reluctant to discuss those topics with their
children. Rather, parents believe that their children will instead learn from their peers. There is an
assumption that their child will not take part in sexual relations, especially at younger ages. But
when it does happen and, due to the lack of information the child has, something could possibly
go awry, and appropriate actions are not taken by parents. Instead of teaching about the dangers of
sex, if pregnancy occurs, abortion procedures are planned in secret.73 Many parents do not find reason or understand why they need to hold these discussions with their children. In fact, some do not have the correct information themselves to pass on. Others just find it uncomfortable to discuss and so they turn a blind eye on it. Without parents understanding the importance of sexual education in their children’s lives, issues are bound to occur.
72 Ibid., 66. 73 Amy Borovoy, The Too‐Good Wife: Alcohol, Codependency, and the Politics of Nurturance in Postwar Japan (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005), 154. Rucker27
Incidents Regarding the Persecution of Sexual Education Teachers
The lack of knowledge on the topic of sexual education has caused issues due to
misunderstanding and prejudice amongst Japan’s government leaders. Ideologies left from the old
government along with a resurgence of conservatism have emerged amongst some of Tokyo’s
Metropolitan Assembly members and the Board of Education. The impact of the New Life
Movement and Purity Education that was enforced in the postwar years is also apparent. Multiple
controversies have occurred since the early 2000s, all focusing around the aforementioned idea of
“Waking a Sleeping Child”. Due to the lack of information that many parents and government
leaders have regarding sexual education, not many of them comprehend why it is necessary for
children. They themselves do not know the risks of sex. As such, they view children as “being
asleep”, not knowing anything about sexuality or sexual intercourse. But if the schools give them
information regarding these topics, they will “wake up”. No one knows what each child will do
with such knowledge, but the worst is assumed. While this idea is consistently brought up by
assembly members during meetings, teachers and experts refute this claim. Experts have said that
at the schools where students receive a comprehensive education on sexuality, students have more
of an understanding of what precautions to take. For example, studies have shown that the rate of
the use of contraceptives is higher in those who have learned about them in their sexual education
classes.74 What these government officials seem to believe is that educators are encouraging
children and teenagers to have sex through these classes. But in reality, many of these teachers
express that they do not want these children to partake in sex at such a young age. What they
commonly tell their students is that they should abstain from having sex until they believe they
74 Harui Asai, Kaori Ushitora, and Atsuko Tsuruta, eds., Why is Sexual Education Necessary Now?: 50 Q&A’s Concerning the Encouragement of Comprehensive Sexual Education, 21. Rucker28
would be comfortable with raising a child, should any problems arise.75 The main reason why there
is an assumption that some schools’ sexual education classes are encouraging sex is because there
have been class discussions around birth control, sexual intercourse, and abortion. Government officials, especially Toshiaki Koga and the city of Tokyo’s Board of Education, believe that there is no need for these to be discussed.
The name Toshiaki Koga pops up in many articles about the resistance of sexual education
in Japanese schools. He is a 70-year-old conservative assembly member who has consistently been
pointing fingers at schools who he believes disobey school guidelines. On many occasions, he has led others in the bashing of schools with intensive sexual education programs. The first of these events occurred in 2003 at the Nanao School for Handicapped Children, located in Western Tokyo.
In March of that year, Toshiaki made a grandiose statement regarding the school. At Nanao, they held a “Mind and Body” class, otherwise known as a sexual education class in the United States.
The teachers were concerned that the students would not have adequate knowledge of sex and their
own sexuality in the future. Keeping them from receiving sexual education will only increase the risks of future sexual interactions, just the same as able-bodied students. Nanao’s teachers understood this and so they made sure to instruct the students in ways that they could understand.
This is where Toshiaki had an issue. Some of these special methods the teachers used for students to comprehend better include the use of dolls with genitals and the “Body Song.”76 The “Body
Song” is a tune that teachers use to teach the names and locations of the parts of the body.77 It does
not skip over the sexual organs. Toshiaki found this outrageous and obscene. As such, he decided
75 “Battle Over Sex Education at Schools Reignited in Tokyo,” The Asahi Shimbun, April 3, 2018, http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201804030047.html (accessed March 31, 2019). 76 Ibid. 77 Harui Asai, Kaori Ushitora, and Atsuko Tsuruta, eds., Why is Sexual Education Necessary Now?: 50 Q&A’s Concerning the Encouragement of Comprehensive Sexual Education, 43. Rucker29
to make that statement to his fellow assembly members and formed a task force to visit the school.
He regarded Nanao’s class as completely inappropriate and insisted that a visitation of the school
is necessary to check whether the school has followed appropriate guidelines or not. The group
that accompanied him included a couple other assembly members, city councilors, the Sankei
Shimbun, a newspaper company, and a few others. Despite this being an evaluation of educational
practices, little to none of the group’s members had experience in the education field. What
followed could be considered an abuse of power.78
Without contacting the school prior to their arrival, the group showed up demanding
various things from the school’s faculty. They referred to this as a visitation of the school, but it
fell more along the lines of an investigation, searching for someone who has done wrong. Teachers
were forced into the school’s infirmary, were made to gather all the materials used in the sexual
education classes, and questioned one by one.79 In addition to showing up at the school and forcing
the faculty to meet their demands, Toshiaki and fellow group members used methods of
intimidation to get the answers they were seeking.80 This included being showered in aggressive
comments and questions, teachers not being able to ask the group members their own questions, in addition to being unable to record what was occurring. After this initial “visitation”, the name
of the Nanao School for Handicapped children was marred by statements made by the members
of the group that partook. Moreover, the Sankei Shimbun released an article about how the school’s
sexual education classes are akin to a sex shop.81 Toshiaki used his authority and connections to
ruin the image of this school just because he believed the teaching methods used are not appropriate.
Many teachers were scolded and more than a third of teachers were transferred to other schools by
78 Ibid. 79 Ibid. 80 Ibid. 81 Ibid, 44. Rucker30
the following academic year. Within the next three years, almost all of the teachers who had been
involved were transferred out. 82 The principal was also demoted to a teacher’s position. Because
of how outrageous this situation was, the school’s faculty worked together with parents to work
on a case to bring to trial and sued Tokyo prefecture, the Sankei Shimbun, in addition to other
politicians who were involved. The teachers and parents won their case against Koga and the group
that assisted him, but the negative stigma around this situation was not easily erased.83
Despite the results of the court case, there do not seem to be any positive impacts on the
movement for more detailed and comprehensive sexual education in Japan. And there was no
development. Not until the spring of 2018. Yet again, Koga brought to Tokyo’s Board of Education
another complaint regarding a junior high school’s sexual education class. This time the teachers
at that particular school, in addition to multiple others, were using terms such as “sexual
intercourse”, “abortion”, and “birth control.”84 The argument that children are too young to learn
about such things and what is appropriate to talk about in the class was brought up again. It is hard
to discern what the best age is, but according to studies done by the Japanese Education
Association, 3 to 4 percent of both male and female students in middle school already have sexual
experience.85 Teachers argued that this was necessary for students as the schools are located in one
of the poorest areas in Tokyo.86 If no one teaches these students the steps they need to take to ensure safe sex, they will be more susceptible to teenage pregnancy. As these students are already at a high risk of teenage pregnancy, denying them of this education will only worsen their
82 Ibid. 83 Philip Brasor, “In Japan No One Wants to Talk About Sex Education,” The Japan Times, April 7, 2018, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/04/07/national/media‐national/japan‐no‐one‐wants‐talk‐sex‐ education/#.XJ_HV5hKjIV (accessed March 31, 2019). 84 Ibid. 85 Harui Asai, Kaori Ushitora, and Atsuko Tsuruta, eds., Why is Sexual Education Necessary Now?: 50 Q&A’s Concerning the Encouragement of Comprehensive Sexual Education, 22. 86 Ibid. Rucker31 circumstances. Having a child at such a young age takes away the possibility of breaking out of poverty as they grow older.87 To deny education that makes this much of a difference in student’s lives is brazen in addition to being hypocritical. As much as these politicians and the older, more conservative generation claim that they want to protect their children from the dangers of sex, they are in turn shaming the best methods of doing so. Despite this factor, it was agreed on by the board members that the school was not following curriculum guidelines. In response to that decision, many teachers, principals, and college professors stated that they believe those lessons should be mandatory at schools. Additionally, it was positively received by some parents and students.
Principals and experts have both brought up the issue that in comparison to the rest of the world,
Japan’s sexual education is lacking in many ways. If the Board of Education’s curriculum guidelines remain unchanged as the rest of the world advances, this will reflect what is valued by
Japan’s society.88 Especially in Western countries, where there are growing social movements concerned with being open about sexuality and more aware of the risks of sex. Japan might feel pressure from these countries to change otherwise the image of the country may become marred.
Luckily there is a bright side to this situation. Similar to the Tokugawa Period and the sexology movement, a movement against the censorship of sexual education has begun. Japanese teachers are motivated to take action against the Board of Education’s member’s mindsets and decision to stay stagnant. In addition to teachers pushing for more leniency on what is allowed in the classroom, which has been backed by court ruling, businesses and programs are being established to help teach outside of the confines of the classroom. Asuka Someya, a woman who dealt with a pregnancy and abortion at the age of 20, was inspired to start a sexual education program called
87 Ibid. 88 “Tokyo Teachers Call for More Robust Approach to Sex Education.” Rucker32
Pilcon.89 Through this program, Someya along with volunteers visit junior high schools, high
schools, colleges, and meet with parents to hold workshops to teach about sex.90 There are also workshops held with the general public a few times per month. Not only do they teach about the risks of sex and the precautions to take, they also release YouTube videos instructing on how to put a condom on correctly in addition to discussing birth control. While her program may be small, her actions are large and could be what Japan needs to move forward with sexual education.
Through her and other’s actions, more politicians and those on the Boards of Education throughout
Japan will possibly come to understand the need for teaching on these topics. But this will all take time to occur.
The situation surrounding Japan’s sexual education is extremely complicated. The transition from a free and loose society into rigid one that puts emphasis on being discrete has not been very smooth. With Japan’s government trying to control its people through censorship along with forcing Western mindsets onto them as well, discussion of anything related to sex has become a social taboo. It is an evil that causes children to become immoral and partake in sexual relations, or so it is believed. Due to these mindsets, Japan’s sexual education is lacking in many ways. It is taking its toll on the younger generations, from those in their late twenties all the way down to middle schoolers. The lack of knowledge is leading to the lack of precaution. Young teenagers are taking part in sexual intercourse because they are curious and do not know what risks it holds.
Abortion and sexually transmitted disease rates are steadily increasing amongst teenagers and young adults, possibly correlating to the lack of sexual education and the media they are faced with. These issues are something that could have been avoided if students were given a
89 Magdelena Osumi, “Woman Leads Sex Education Drive to Enlighten Clueless Youths,” The Japan Times, January 3, 2016, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/01/03/national/woman‐leads‐sex‐education‐drive‐enlighten‐ clueless‐youths/#.XKaKA5hKjIV (accessed April 1, 2019). 90 Ibid. Rucker33
comprehensive education on sex. Compared to the United States, the regulations regarding what is appropriate in sexual education classrooms are far too strict and outdated. It calls for an update that fits the needs of the Japanese people. Some are taking action to encourage others to be more open minded and knowledgeable. Without the government complying to these demands, this situation will continue to worsen.
Rucker34
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