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.