MR AND MRS NIPPON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20043, 4 September 1920, Page 8

MR AND MRS NIPPON.

DIVORCE MADE EASY. POLICEMAN’S STRANGE ROLE. A remarkable effect of the recent economic uncertainty in Japan is tho disturbance of domestic happiness that has ensued, writes the Tokio correspondent of tho "Morning Post.” Of course, the fever of speculation thpt has been under way for more than, a year in Japan could not be expected to go on without disaster. Recently slump after slump has shaken the exchanges and demoralised the markets, with numerous bankruptcies, leaving jnanv a. well-to-do family penniless. There wore over sixty business failures in Tokio in one month. The min of a business rpacks on all tho families connected with it as well as ou society in general. That this should reveal its effect so promptly on domestic life is suggestive of something characteristic of Oriental civilisation. It will be remembered that in Turkey. under tho financial strain of war conditions, a. conspicuous feature of society was tho number of wives that bad been cast adrift or sent away to reduce the expenses of the harems. Well, the effect of the economic strain in Japan has not been exactly this, but something not altogether dissimilar. The Japanese police announce an unprecedented increase of domestic dissensions since tho arrival of the financial panic and tho consequent number of business failures. In Japan, it may be explained, unhappy couples go to the police for divorce, rather than to tho law courts; for it, is the policeman who ties them in tho first place, and it is, naturally, to tho same official that they go for liberty when the bond proves unpleasant. Think of a policeman having tho power to unloose the marriage tie? No wonder he regards himself with an importance beside which the law officers of other lands shrink into insignificance. REGISTERING A WIFE, In Japan marriage consists in tho man taking the women to tho police station and having her registered as a member of his household. Only one woman, can be legally so registered, though others can serve without registration. .Divorce is obtained simply by having tho police remove tho woman’s name from the register. How some of our British domestic misfits would rejoice in such liberty! In Japan the authoritjes take great care that you think properly about the State, but you may think as you please about tiie state of matrimony. Possibly here family matters are such as only the family itself can settle. Built is pathetically hard on tho children, if there be any. If the woman objects to divorce, she can, of course, appeal to tho law courts; but we have seldom heard of a woman with the courage to attempt it. Thus, while there are thousands of divorces, they are usually arranged by tho police. But not all domestic appeals to tho police are for divorce; more often it is simply for the adjustment of some family dispute; and not infrequently the trouble leads to divorce. What seems worthy of notice is that the present economic pressure and uneasiness should lead to an increase in tho number of divorces and family disputes. For lack of moans a husband decides that ho cannot afford to keep a wife longer, and she simply consents to go off and shift for herself. This she does by seeking work or else embarking in another matrimonial venture, ft leads to a very promiscuous condition of morals. A staid old missionary gentleman from England engaged a married couple as cook and housemaid. Bhortly afterwards ho noticed that the man was a different one. With much surprise he made inquiry, and was told that the former gentleman was nob the husband, but tho lady bad borrowed him until her husband could oome, as the missionary had insisted that she must have a man. ADVERTISEMENTS FOR HUSBANDS. Another feature of the now situation is the number of Japanese girls advertising for husbands. Heretofore advertising m the Press for wives have been common; and the matrimonial bureaux did a thriving business in this line, but girls seeking husbands in this way is rather a, new thing, especially the request tor English husbands in many Of the matrimonial cards inserted by girls, promising to learn English anil wear foreign dress if some Englishman will only take pity on them and marry them. Does it mean that under stress of circumstances the Japanese girl thinks a foreign, .husband will be more patient and enduring than a native lord ? It may be mentioned that there is a general belief among Japanese women that he is. An Englishman who Tried his luck some time ago with a very beautiful girl found that tho lady* loved one foreigner quite as much ‘as another, and he promptly divorced her. It must be admitted that some Japanese girls arc very pretty and make excellent wives for foreigners.