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Abstract: »The aim of this thesis is to analyze the transformation of the social role and status of Japanese women between 1868 and 1952, with particular emphasis on the struggle for gender equality and the impact of both Japanese government policies and the American occupation on women’s position in society. The study is based on an analysis of academic literature concerning the social history of Japan, women’s movements, and state policies toward women. The findings demonstrate that the industrialization of the Meiji period led to an increase in women’s participation in the workforce and a gradual expansion of access to education. At the same time, however, it reinforced the patriarchal ideal of the “good wife, wise mother.” During the Taishō period, feminist organizations and social movements advocating greater participation of women in political life emerged, although their demands faced numerous legal and social barriers. The analysis of the Shōwa period shows that the rise of militarism and the outbreak of war restricted many of the earlier achievements of the women’s movement, subordinating women to the needs of the state to an even greater extent than before. Particular attention is devoted to the issue of Japanese 'comfort women' and the functioning of the wartime system of sexual slavery. The study demonstrates that the American occupation of Japan between 1945 and 1952 constituted a turning point in the status of Japanese women. Political and social reforms led to the granting of women’s suffrage and formal legal equality. At the same time, this period was not free from challenges, including the continuation of institutionalized prostitution, sexual violence, and the difficult living conditions of postwar society. The results of the analysis confirm that changes in the position of women were part of a long-term process, culminating in the acquisition of civil rights after the Second World War.« (Source: Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego)

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Wikipedia: History of Asia: History of Japan / Shōwa era | Prostitution: Forced prostitution / Comfort women | Sex and the law: Wartime sexual violence / Sexual violence in World War II | War: Pacific War / Japanese war crimes