Last year, I watched this Japanese drama called Kyo wa Kaisha Yasumimasu (I'm taking the day off) - that's the English translation. I never got around to finishing it though (got stuck at episode 3. I could have finished it since there were only 10 episodes). I will try to go back to it one of these days. The reason I wanted to write about it is because of the whole story line and how it depicts or actualizes Japanese society.
The premise of the story is that of an older woman who was still a virgin, got drunk one night and had a one night stand with a much younger intern in their office. It follows the development of their relationship but mostly the anxieties and worries of the female protagonist who is experiencing her first love and many other firsts with the young guy. In short, she has never been in a relationship and so she's trying to figure her way through it. There is another guy in the picture who is about her age and serves to complete the love triangle.
For some reason while watching this particular jdrama, I could not help but feel that the women in the series, the female lead as well as her female co-worker are treated unequally in the office. It gives me an insight to the status of Japanese women in the work place. In the drama, much of the scenes have so far taken place in the office. And most of the time, dramas like these attempt to depict the real work environment. So most likely, the work environment in the drama is similar to how it is in real life.
One observation that stands out for me is how office ladies are still assigned to do all the household-related work in the office. By this, I refer to how we are taken to the everyday duties of the female protagonist. Her day begins very early. She is the one who opens the office and proceeds to clean the office tables, make coffee, wash the mugs, take care of the plants and clean the ashtray, etc. At the same time, the protagonist who is an accountant is also tasked with secretarial work like photocopying and what not. At one point, she serves her co-workers drinks in the pub and serve food in a social meeting. All this, she kept on saying that she does these because it is what she likes. Her statements reinforces her position and role in Japanese society. Japanese woman who have careers are still burden or reminded of the duties they left behind at home by replicating those tasks in the office. They encounter a double burden, making it difficult for them. Majority of the office workers in their company are men. They are actually the only 2 women in the office which highlights further how the public space particularly offices are still very much the domain of men.
The other theme that seems to repeat itself is how Japanese women's goals are the same for everyone which is find a (good handsome rich) man, get married and have children. Also by getting she will get "descendants, lifestyle, economy, retirement and all the benefits that will change her life" (this is based on the english subtitle). Women are expected to take care of the household once they are married and it is harder for them to return to the work force especially when they have children. At one point, the male protagonist even asked the female lead if she will quit her job if she gets married. ... Do we ever ask this question to the guy? No we don't. And I think it is not just unique in Japan society for women to be discriminated in this way but it does seem to be more ingrained in Japan society though. The female co-worker even said that she is driven to think in this way because "there is a personal need to fulfill it". Or when the other guy told her not to be a burden to her boyfriend. This implies not to nag him or become too clingy.
What is even more interesting/disturbing is that the drama is based on a manga written by a woman (Mari Fujimura) and it is very popular in Japan. It surprises me in many levels but also shows how gender roles are accepted and continued to be reinforced even in the medium of this manga and also on television. However, I just started watching this series so there might be something different or at least something that might become a catalyst to empower the protagonist (I am already thinking here that it might be the young intern) ...
(Note: I am going to update this post after I read this article I found online which answers some of the questions I have - Saito, Shinichi (2007) 'Television and the cultivation of gender-role attitudes in Japan: Does television contribute to the maintenance of the status quo?', Journal of Communication, 57, pp. 511-531.)
