Education and gender in Japan and Norway from historical perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to analyse the gender gap in higher education in Japan in comparison with Norway. Both countries’ gender-equal educational systems began at about the same time, shortly after the Second World War, and increased the women enrolled in universities. However, in Norway, women overtook men in university enrolment in the 1980s, while in Japan, the gender gap widened. The reason was that Japan had women's junior colleges. When women's university enrolment and junior colleges enrolment rates are combined, the gender gap disappeared in the 1980s. Many junior college majors specialized in housework and education and were based on the idea that women should be home. This was due to the societal difference between Norway, where women's labour was accepted due to the shortage of labour force and gender equality policies were promoted, and Japan, where the abundant labour force and economic development encouraged women to join the family.