Inferior Position of Women in Japan

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 54, 6 March 1935, Page 2

Inferior Position of Women in Japan

Addressing tho Auckland Travel Club, Mr W. E. Barnard, M.P., gave

impressions of his recent visit to Japan. Efficiency and courtesy were the principal characteristics of the Japan-

eso people, said Mr Barnard. The Japanese wero excellent sailors, and were as efficient as the English. They wero very clover with, machinery, and the men took great care of the hands; even the stokers wore cotton gloves at their work, so as not to soil, the lingers. It was sometimes felt that the unfailing courtesy of the Japanese was supcriicial, hut Mr Barnard was inclined to think in innate, having been cultivated for centuries by tho teachings of Buddhism, which particularly stresses gentleness and courtesy. The Japanese aimed to excel at anything they did, and took a delight in their work. They were optimists, mentally alert and most industrious. There was no extreme poverty noticeable even in the largo cities, said Mr Barnard. Ho had seen no beggars anywhere except one or two blind people. Tokio and other big cities were modern, having large department stores sevtn to ton storeys in height, with electric elevators, and what with the electric trams and wido streets, and taxis rushing here and there, lights and skyscrapers, one might be in any large metropolitan centre of tho West. Electric power was cheap, and was used extensively in all tho factories and industries in Japan. Tho • Hotel Imperial in Tokio was up to date in every particular, with 20 or more shops on tho premises. Built of brick, it was designed by aii American architect; 15s a day was the tariff for the best hotels. All hotel clerks, waiters and porters spoke English as well as Japanese. English was spoken all over Japan. Very little intoxicating, liquor was drunk, and practically no smoking was indulged in. All European . dishes were supplied, but rice, fish and bamboo shoots were tho staple articles on the native bill’ of fare. The houses were ail built of wood, with grey tiles, and looking down upon a city one saw. only a sea of grey'i Outsido tho hotels the" heating arrangements were quite inadequate. A largo brass bowl, with a handful of charcoal in. the centic, sufficed for the living room in most houses. Tho winters in Japan wero quite severe, and -visitors to the country felt the cold extremely. _• Tho Japanese women took an inferior position, tho men taking the lead in every way. This subjection pcihaps accounted for the colourless personality of the women. They were more concerned with their children and homes than with outside affairs. Women never went out-without their children. The rearing of big families, especially of boys, was the greatest virtue of all according to Japanese ideas. Mr Barnard touched vory little upon tho political and economic questions connected with his observations in Japan, but ho said that in his opinion all citiztns of the British Empire, particularly of Australia and Hew Zealand, should study the problems of Japan as thoroughly and as sympathetically as possible.