The masculinization of deprivation: Transformations in industrial and labor patterns and the emergence of the Men’s Crisis in Japan

Abstract

ABSTRACT A movement for gender equality, begun in earnest in the 1970s, has prompted fundamental changes to work and family lives in Japan. Despite this, discussions about shifting gender structures have frequently focused on women, leaving men’s gender issues in the shadows. This article explores the last 50 years of labor and family changes from a gendered perspective, and the major historical and civilizational shifts behind those changing patterns. Focusing specifically on a crisis of masculinity, which I label the “Men’s Crisis,” this article examines the structural transformations in industry, labor, and society that we are currently confronting. Since the 1990s, the “Men’s Crisis” has become increasingly visible in Japanese society. Because the “Men’s Crisis” is spreading as an unidentified, invisible problem today, most men feel an unexplained, or unexplainable, deprivation. In other words, what I call the “masculinization of deprivation” has emerged. In order to advance gender equality and increase women’s participation in society, we must also contend with the vital policies surrounding men as gendered people, which have been ignored in the past. In particular, significant policy proposals are necessary, specifically those that acknowledge men’s needs for counseling and advice, as well as the links between men and care.