Written by Claire 2022 Cohort
During the winter break, I read a book on Kindle named Women’s Poverty Issue in Tokyo (no official English name) by Japanese writer Atsuhiko Nakamura, a former magazine contributor, to interview the people who work in the adult entertainment industry in Japan. The book is based on the seven women’s interview scripts and the author’s thoughts about society’s poverty problems.
Looking through the book, you can see they are all ordinary women like us; they go to school, work, get married and give birth; suddenly, at a turning point in life, they are trapped in the giant hole of poverty and never make it to shore again. This fact made me feel horrified because these Ordinary Stories could happen to everybody.
The conclusion of the interviewer, the most significant source of misfortune for them is their original family or the marriage when they grow up. Thus it can be seen, born as women, we cannot stay forever in our parents’ protection and keep our husbands as well. Do not rely too much on others. Women must have a job and take this into long-term consideration, thinking about ten years later whether we can continue doing this and planning for retirement. For fertility, in my opinion, as a woman, we need complete preparation; we have to take responsibility for our children.
This book tells the story as empirical truth without academic analysis. However, it points out several problems in Japanese society; for example, an inadequate welfare system and insufficient support measures for the poor directly reflect the dominance of men in Japanese culture. The author states these societal problems dispassionately.
I highly recommend that everybody read this book, especially women; you can see ordinary people like us and learn from their mistakes.