Abstract
Self-reliance has arisen as a key ethic in relation to older persons in Japan. One part of a larger social trend affecting mature societies around the world is the rising emphasis on elders overcoming dependence in favor of a new ethic of independence. This analysis of older persons in Japan opens a window into the gender dynamics of older-person households, and into the discourses about the lack of an independent autonomous identity in old age aside from that in the workplace. Drawing on fieldwork with retirees, I illuminate retired couples’ experiences of and attitudes about retirement, considering the interpersonal dimensions of interdependence and the ways the ethos of self-reliance influences retirees’ lives. In particular, I analyse how the men seek to embody interdependence in relationships with their wives. How do they adjust in relation to their wives’ expectations, and how do they—and their identities—change after they leave the workforce? Central to this process is an expansion in men’s acts of thoughtfulness in relation to their wives.
Highlights
In a radio interview on NHK, Japan’s national broadcasting service, a market researcher, Tsuchinaga Toshihiko, spoke with the NHK anchorman, Noguchi Hiroyasu, about the retirement of Japan’s Dankai no Sedai, those born between 1946 and 1950 (Noguchi 2005)
Within gender studies as developed by Amano Masako, there was significant discussion of the concept of self-reliance, as it related to men nearing retirement
Amano discusses why such self-reliance is necessary and elaborates on the ideal type of personhood arising from it. She adds that the practice of independence extends beyond individual accomplishment toward interpersonal relationships of mutual support
Summary
In a radio interview on NHK, Japan’s national broadcasting service, a market researcher, Tsuchinaga Toshihiko, spoke with the NHK anchorman, Noguchi Hiroyasu, about the retirement of Japan’s Dankai no Sedai (baby boomer generation), those born between 1946 and 1950 (Noguchi 2005). The sociologist Amano Masako (1998;80),a strong advocate of balancing autonomy and interdependence, among middle-aged and older couples, Amano (1998:80) problematizes men’s self-reliance, or lack thereof, by saying the man only knows his corporate role and relies on his educational qualifications and work achievements to provide a source of identity and meaning. Such a person does not show self-reliance even if he is financially independent because he defines his sense of self using criteria provided by corporations, e.g. his success in reaching the company’s sales goals. I turn to the analysis of my research with retirees
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