44 | November 2011 DIJ Newsletter DIJ Interdisciplinary Japanese Studies On Site

Sayonara, nuclear energy? The largest anti-nuclear demonstra- tion after the reactor catastrophe at the Fukushima Daiichi plant took place in Tokyo on September 19. According to the event’s organizers, approximately 60,000 people participated in the dem- onstration. Nobel laureate Kenzaburō Ōe, author Keiko Ochai, the journal- ists Katsuto Uchihashi and Satoshi Kamata, as well as various NGOs and unions had called on the people to take part in the demonstration in downtown Tokyo calling on the government to phase out nuclear energy. C.W.

Energy policy to see major change?

In contrast to the annual coming supported the long-term reduction of New cooperation with and going of prime ministers – only Japan’s dependence on nuclear power. recently Yoshihiko Noda succeeded He has also proposed to increase the the Center for Japanese Naoto Kan – Japan’s energy policy has share of renewable energy sources Studies of the Univer- traditionally been characterized by its from 9% to 20% by the 2020s. How- sity of Hawai’i at Mānoa consistency. The government regarded ever, unlike Kan, he has not commit- The German Institute for nuclear energy as a safe, cost-effective ted to completely phasing out nuclear Japanese Studies (DIJ) has and environmentally friendly energy energy, arguing that Japan would still entered into an agreement source. Accordingly, the share of have to depend on it to some degree on academic collaboration nuclear energy in the country’s energy until 2030. Moreover, he wants to con- with the Center for Japanese mix was set to rise from 30% to 50% tinue exporting nuclear power plants. Studies (CJS) of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. The two by 2030. In order to achieve this goal, To stabilize energy supply in the short institutes are offering each construction of 14 new nuclear reactors and medium term, the new Prime Min- other academic hospitality, had been planned. As a reaction to the ister plans to quickly restart presently pursue research projects of catastrophe at the Fukushima Daiichi shutdown reactors once they pass the common interest and plan to power plant, Noda’s predecessor Kan stress tests. At the same time, Noda has hold jointly organized work- chose to alter Japan’s energy policy characterized the construction of new shops. radically by announcing the inten- reactors as “unrealistic”. CJS serves as an organizing tion of turning Japan into a “society Meanwhile, the influential Science unit for more than 30 Japan free from nuclear energy”. Kan also experts from different dis- Council of Japan, a special organiza- successfully demanded the shutdown ciplines. Among them are tion under the jurisdiction of the Prime of the Hamaoka plant (in Shizuoka numerous internationally Minister, has put forth proposals for Prefecture), which is regarded as the well-known professors, includ- a future energy policy. The council’s ing Dr. Patricia Steinhoff, a nuclear power station most acutely report outlines six different scenarios, member of the editorial board threatened by an earthquake. More- five of which differ only in the length of Contemporary Japan. over, taking a page from the European of the remaining running time of nu- Union, he introduced stress testing. This agreement is the second clear power plants, thereby implying a collaboration the DIJ has con- Following Kan’s resignation in Sep- phase out. Given the short “shelf-life” cluded with a leading institute tember 2011, the durability of this not of prime ministers, it remains to be of Japanese Studies. An agree- entirely uncontroversial change of seen whether, and if so, which proposal ment with the White Rose East policy was questioned. Noda too has will be realized. Asia Centre of the Universities of Leeds/Sheffield has been in ▲ Dr. Chris Winkler, political scientist, heads the DIJ project “How to Make Voters place since 2008. C.W. Happy? The Promise of Happiness by Japan’s Political Parties between Continuities and Discontinuities”. [email protected]

German Institute for Japanese Studies Tokyo Newsletter 44 | November 2011 New research on manga

Scientific research on Japanese An old genre… comics has diversified since its The origins of yuri as a genre can be beginnings. However, the genre of traced back to the 1910s. In popular yuri, a term broadly encompassing girls’ magazines such as Shōjo Gahō stories about love between girls, has [Girls’ illustrated], narratives about so far hardly been noticed. The Ger- close friendships and romances man Institute for Japanese Studies between girls (also known as esu (DIJ) is supporting research on this bungaku, from “s” as in “sister”) genre with one of its Ph.D. scholar- were published, with Nobuko Yoshiya ships. (1896–1973) being one of the genre’s Already in the 1970s, yuri, meaning most famous authors. The first manga “lily”, was used in some subcultures dedicated to the topic of “love between as a reference to love between women. girls” were published in the 1970s in In the 1990s, it became the name of mainstream shōjo manga magazines. a genre in popular culture, especially In the past – as now – the majority among fans of manga and anime. Out- of their authors and readers are not side of Japan, the term shōjo ai [girls’ homosexual. love] was established alongside yuri, …with a diverse present based on the term shōnen ai [boys’ love], which in the 1970s was used to Since the 1970s, the yuri genre has signify manga for girls (shōjo manga) further diversified. Today in Japan,

► Cover of a recent issue of the about love between boys. In Japan, there are yuri manga for every age magazine Komikku Yuri Hime. however, the term shōjo ai is associ- group and gender, with works tend- ated with paedophilia. ing to focus on romance primarily targeted at females and works tending Scarce research to date to focus on sexual displays primarily In Japan as well as overseas, the yuri targeted at males. With Komikku Yuri genre has barely been investigated to Hime [Comic Lily Princess] even a date. This is surprising given the fact magazine exclusively publishing yuri that the genre of shōnen ai – that is, manga was able to establish itself in stories about love between boys/men the market. Its readership is distrib- – has received much attention over uted across all age groups, around the years. However, research on yuri 60% being female and, according to Manga about love has mostly been limited to studying its editor-in-chief, mostly not homo- between girls the contents of one or a few works sexual. While firmly establishing itself from a feminist point of view. To date, in the Japanese market, the yuri genre have established themselves the genre has been analysed prima- also crossed Japan’s borders, with as a genre. rily in the context of the discourse on the first translated yuri manga being homosexuality. Yet, since the produc- published in the United States, France tion and reception of these manga and Germany. were not part of those analyses, the A new research project interesting question of whether yuri is also understood by publishers and Verena Maser’s Ph.D. project analy- fans as a “lesbian genre”, or whether ses the yuri genre from the viewpoint completely different aspects are of genre theory and examines how relevant in this context, has remained it is positioned by different agents. unanswered. While research so far has Following Hiroki Azuma, the project assumed that yuri is generally read by addresses the question of whether the lesbian women, this is not the case in concept of “genre” can be applied in present-day Japan, a discrepancy that the Japanese context. Alongside an speaks to the likelihood of different analysis of the contents of exemplary motivations for reading manga of this manga, a discussion on their produc- genre. tion and reception are incorporated for Verena Maser, M.A., the first time via interviews and exam- is a Ph.D. scholarship ined from an international compara- student at the DIJ. tive perspective (Japan, Germany). [email protected]

DIJ German Institute for Japanese Studies Tokyo Newsletter 44 | November 2011 DIJ survey on exclusion and happiness after March 11

Following the events of March In order to be able to carry out more 11, the DIJ decided to repeat its in-depth analyses in those areas of survey on objective precarity and Japan most affected by the catastro- subjective exclusion conducted in phe, it was decided to concentrate on 2009. This time, data was collected two regions instead of conducting a especially in the affected prefectures nationwide survey. Five of the 47 pre- in north-eastern Japan, as well as in fectures were chosen for data collec- and around Tokyo. tion: Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, ◄ Dr. Carola Hommerich, as well as Tokyo and Kanagawa were sociologist, heads the Japanese The new survey aims to find out part of the project “‘Comparative- chosen so as to include one directly whether attitudes have changed in the ly Happy’ – Objective Precarity and dramatically affected region and aftermath of the March 11 catastro- and Perception of Social Exclu- one less seriously affected area, but phe – for instance in how individual sion in Germany and Japan”. where the catastrophe still had an im- happiness and social cohesion are [email protected] pact. Thereby, comparisons not only evaluated, to what extent the govern- over time, but also between regions ment and political institutions are held become possible. to be trustworthy, and respondents’ readiness to engage in voluntary The survey period ended on October work. In order to ensure comparability 3, 2011, with 1,632 questionnaires with the previous survey, the ques- returned, which equates to 48% of the tions from the previous survey were original sample of people asked to retained. However, some items relat- participate in the survey. The return ing directly to the events of March 11 rate implies that there is high concern and thereafter were added. Amongst for the topic. Analysis of the data the new items are two open questions started at the beginning of November. asking the respondents to describe what happiness meant to them and whether there was anything that gave Economic well-being them hope. Educa- Family tional well- well-being being How happy are parents of young children? Parental well-being Health and Employ- How do the health, personality, perspective on fathers’ opinions and personality ment well- traits being employment, material standing and their well-being, which so far has education of mothers and fathers, been seriously understudied – both in Partner- Policy well- as well as their partnerships and Japan and Germany. ship well- being integration into social networks being In 2009, a survey was conducted influence their well-being? A cross- in Germany among 1,000 fathers cultural study compares parental ► The seven dimensions of parental and 1,000 mothers nationwide from well-being in Germany and Japan. well-being. households in which there was at least In recent decades, the number of one child under the age of six. The people deciding to become parents has results of the German survey have significantly decreased both in Ger- just been published in October this many and in Japan. In economically year (Fragt die Eltern!: Ravensburger difficult times, understanding parental Elternsurvey: Elterliches Wohlbefinden well-being has become highly impor- in Deutschland [Ask the parents! tant – not only for policymakers. Ravensburg parental survey: Parental well-being in Germany], edited by A joint project between the German Hans Bertram and C. Katharina Spieß; Institute for Japanese Studies Tokyo ◄ Dr. Barbara Holthus, Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlag, 2011). and Benesse Corporation is being sociologist, heads the research The same survey will be conducted conducted in cooperation with Hans project “Parental Well-being: Ger- in Japan in January 2012, with first Bertram, Humboldt University Berlin. many and Japan in Comparison” results expected by April 2012. Headed by Barbara Holthus (DIJ) and together with Dr. Hiromi Tanaka- Naji, assistant professor at Meiji Hiromi Tanaka-Naji (Meiji Univer- University. sity), it provides a systematic analysis [email protected] of different dimensions of parental well-being including a much needed

German Institute for Japanese Studies Tokyo Newsletter 44 | November 2011 DIJ More after-school clubs for elementary school children

Forthcoming events クラブ数 登録児童数利用できなかった児童数 Due to an increase in 25000Number of Registered Children waiting for a place in an after-school club 900000 Number of Registered Children waiting for a place in an after-school club 800000 Workshop: 1999 10201 355176 working parents and 20000 Care Robotics in the Aging 2000 10994 392893 700000 single-parent families, 2001 11803 452135 600000 Society: Integrating Users, 150002002 12782 502041 5851 Japanese communities 2003 13698 540595 6180 500000 Developers and Technology 2004 14457 593764 9400 400000 are trying to improve 100002005 15184 654823 11360 Chair: Florian Kohlbacher; 2006 15857 704982 12189 300000 2007 16685 749478 14029 after-school care. In 200000 in cooperation with NRW 20085000 17583 794922 13096 Japan K.K. May 2011, the number 2009 18479 807857 11438 100000 2010 19946 814439 8021 0 0 (DIJ Tokyo, XI/10/2011, of after-school clubs 2011 20561 833038 7408 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 17:00–20:15). for the first time ex- Number of after-school clubs ceeded 20,000 insti- Children waiting for a place in an after-school club Registered children visiting an after-school club Recent publications tutions, with a total of 833,038 children registered. The towards longer opening hours until Florian Coulmas number of wait-listed children was re- after 6 p.m. K.I.-W./C.W. and Judith Stalpers: duced for the fourth year in a row and Fukushima. Vom Erdbeben now amounts to 7,408 (this number is zur atomaren Katastrophe. exclusive of 12 communities in Iwate Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Heisei 23-nen hōkago jidō kenzen ikusei jigyō Munich: C.H. Beck, 2011 and Fukushima where data could not (hōkago no jidō kurabu) no jisshi jōkyō (as of (192 pages). be collected). There is also a trend May 1, 2011).

Read for you Catchword

Josei to Sumai Kenkyūkai (2010): 終活 (shūkatsu) Dōjunkai Ōtsuka joshi apātomento hau- su ga kataru [The Dōjunkai Ōtsuka Shūkatsu, or “job hunting”, refers to women’s apartment building reports]. an important, rigidly planned phase Tokyo: Domesu Shuppan, 290 pages, in the life of young Japanese. Suc- 2,520 yen (ISBN 978-4-81-070735-9). cessful shūkatsu resembles a rite de passage: taking up a job marks the The book traces the history of one real beginning of adulthood. The idea of the most interesting experiments that transitions between life stages Contemporary Japan 23(2) in Japan’s housing history. The book should be well organized is also re- Lifestyles in Transition – Ante- places the house, which was built in cedents and Consequences flected in the derivatekonkatsu [i.e., of Social Change 1930 and demolished in 2003, both in “the condition-oriented search for a Issue Editors: Carola Hom- the history of the emergence of modern spouse”]. Recently, a homophone of merich & Florian Kohlbacher. apartment housing in the early 20th shūkatsu has become popular. Written Berlin & New York: Mouton de century in Japan and in the history of with the characters for ending (shū) Gruyter, 2011. women and housing, as single working and activity (katsu), it implies a pro- women were its target group. The book active approach to the final stage of life Call for Papers also links the apartment house to the and, importantly, death. Important ele- development of (contemporary) forms ments are writing a will, putting one’s Contemporary Japan of cohousing in present-day Japan. financial affairs in order, planning For more information, visit: Readers learn that many of the authors one’s own burial place, funeral and www.contemporary-japan.org were involved in a movement for the even deciding upon one’s posthumous preservation of the building. Although name. Shūkatsu thus extends the idea this book is not at all of one piece but of self-determination to the very end instead reflects the authors’ diverse of life and beyond, possibly making The DIJ Newsletter is published approaches, it nevertheless encour- the prospect of death less frightening. both in German and in English ages readers to further engage with the However, it remains to be seen whether and is also available for down- history of this special apartment house. this variant of shūkatsu, too, becomes a load as a full-text version from M.G. mass phenomenon. K.I.-W. our website. For a printed copy, please contact: Picture credits: Page 1 {demonstration} Maren Godzik. Page 2 {manga magazine cover} by courtesy of [email protected] Ichijinsha. Page 3 {illustration} Barbara Holthus. Page 4 {statistic} Chris Winkler and Kristina Iwata- Weickgenannt. Author key: M.G. – Maren Godzik; K.I.-W. – Kristina Iwata-Weickgenannt; C.W. – Chris Winkler.

Visit us on the Internet at: Publisher: Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien Tokyo (DIJ). Person responsible according to the German Press Law: Florian Coulmas. Editors: Chris Winkler (editor in chief), Kristina Iwata-Weickgenannt. www.dijtokyo.org Address: DIJ Tokyo, Jochi Kioizaka Bldg., 7-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0094, Japan. Tel: +81 (0)3 3222-5077 – Fax: +81 (0)3 3222-5420.

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