Coming Out of the Closet in Japan: An Exploratory Sociological Study

Tamagawa, Masami

doi:10.1080/1550428x.2017.1338172

Cited by 25 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Finally, as the information provided in the National Fertility Survey was limited to heterosexual experience, we could not assess same-sex sexual experience. There is a dearth of data on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups in Japan, [36] and questions targeted to the experiences of these groups should be included in future surveys.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in heterosexual inexperience among young adults in Japan: analysis of national surveys, 1987–2015

et al. 2019

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Background It has been suggested that an increasing number of Japanese adults remain sexually inexperienced; however, no study has assessed this issue using nationally representative data. Methods We used data from seven rounds of the National Fertility Survey of Japan, 1987–2015, and included adults aged 18–39 years (18–34 years in the 1987 survey) in the analyses (sample size 11,553–17,850 [1987–2010]; response rate 70.0–92.5%). For each survey year, sex and age group, we estimated the age-adjusted prevalence of heterosexual inexperience, defined as reporting no experience of sexual intercourse with someone of the opposite sex. We used logistic regression, adjusted for age, to identify factors associated with heterosexual inexperience in the 2010 survey. Information about same-sex sexual experience was not available. Results Between 1992 and 2015, the age-standardized prevalence of heterosexual inexperience in adults aged 18–39 years increased from 21.7 to 24.6% for women ( p -values for linear and quadratic trend < 0.05) and from 20.0 to 25.8% for men ( p -values for trend < 0.05). Among those aged 30–34 years, the prevalence was 6.2% in 1987 and 11.9% in 2015 for women ( p -values for trend ≥0.05) and 8.8% (1987) and 12.7% (2015) for men (p-values for trend ≥0.05). Among those aged 35–39 years, prevalence increased from 4.0% in 1992 to 8.9% in 2015 among women (p-values for trend < 0.05). The corresponding numbers for men in the same age group were 5.5 and 9.5%, respectively (p-values for trend ≥0.05). Among men aged 25–39 years, unemployment, temporary/part-time employment and lower income were associated with heterosexual inexperience. Conclusions The proportion of young Japanese adults with no experience of heterosexual intercourse had increased in the past two decades. Among adults in their thirties, around one in ten had no heterosexual experience. Unemployment, temporary/part-time employment and low income were associated with heterosexual inexperience among men. Further research is needed on the factors contributing to and the potential public health and demographic implications of the high proportion of the Japanese population that remains sexually inexperienced well into adult age. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-6677-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in heterosexual inexperience among young adults in Japan: analysis of national surveys, 1987–2015

et al. 2019

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“…Finally, as the questions asked in the National Fertility Survey were limited to heterosexual relationships, we could not assess other types of relationships. Data on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender groups in Japan is scarce [ 48 ], and questions targeted to the experiences of these groups should be included in future surveys.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The herbivore’s dilemma: Trends in and factors associated with heterosexual relationship status and interest in romantic relationships among young adults in Japan—Analysis of national surveys, 1987–2015

et al. 2020

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Background It has been suggested that an increasing proportion of young adults in Japan have lost interest in romantic relationships, a phenomenon termed “herbivorization”. We assessed trends in heterosexual relationship status and self-reported interest in heterosexual romantic relationships in nationally representative data. Methods We used data from seven rounds of the National Fertility Survey (1987–2015) and included adults aged 18–39 years (18–34 years in the 1987 survey; sample size 11,683–17,675). Current heterosexual relationship status (married; unmarried but in a relationship; single) was estimated by sex, age group and survey year, with singles further categorized into those reporting interest vs. no interest in heterosexual romantic relationships. Information about same-sex relationships were not available. Results Between 1992 and 2015, the age-standardized proportion of 18-39-year-old Japanese adults who were single had increased steadily, from 27.4 to 40.7% among women and from 40.3 to 50.8% among men. This increase was largely driven by decreases in the proportion of married women aged 25–39 years and men aged 30–39 years, while those in a relationship had increased only slightly for women and remained stable for men. By 2015, the proportion of single women was 30.2% in those aged 30–34 years and 24.4% in those aged 35–39 years. The corresponding numbers for men were 39.3% and 32.4%. Around half of the singles (21.4% of all women and 25.1% of all men aged 18–39 years) reported that they had no interest in heterosexual romantic relationships. Single women and men who reported no interest in romantic relationships had lower income and educational levels and were less likely to have regular employment compared to those who reported such an interest. Conclusions In this analysis of heterosexual relationships in nationally representative data from Japan, singlehood among young adults had steadily increased over the last three decades. In 2015 around one in four women and one in three men in their thirties were unmarried and not in a heterosexual relationship. Half of the singles reported no interest in romantic relationships and these women and men had lower income and educational levels and were less likely to have regular employment.

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“…Prevailing Japanese practices of family and couplehood are based on an idea of heterosexual partnership in which households have a rigid gendered division of labor embedded in ie (Goldstein‐Gidoni, 2017, 2019; Sechiyama, 2013; Tamagawa, 2018; Tokuhiro, 2010; Ueno, 2009; White, 2018). Ie is a “quasi‐kinship unit with a patriarchal head and members tied to him through real or symbolic blood relationship” (Sugimoto, 2014, p. 164).…”

Section: Japan: Invisible Same‐sex Couplehood and Queer Familiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The practice of koseki implies the switch in family membership of the person, often the wife, who changes the surname upon marriage (White, 2018). Within the family‐household and the wider kin networks, obligations and rights are allocated along the lines of sex and seniority (Tamagawa, 2018). Men are the main financial contributor, whereas unpaid care work and housework are mainly done by daughters‐in‐law and unmarried daughters (Goldstein‐Gidoni, 2019; Tamagawa, 2018).…”

Section: Japan: Invisible Same‐sex Couplehood and Queer Familiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within the family‐household and the wider kin networks, obligations and rights are allocated along the lines of sex and seniority (Tamagawa, 2018). Men are the main financial contributor, whereas unpaid care work and housework are mainly done by daughters‐in‐law and unmarried daughters (Goldstein‐Gidoni, 2019; Tamagawa, 2018). In the broader social context, there are societal distastes for singlehood and gendered expectations about marriage (Tamagawa, 2018; Tokuhiro, 2010).…”

Section: Japan: Invisible Same‐sex Couplehood and Queer Familiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Same‐sex partnership in the family policies of Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan

Chung

2021

Int J Soc Welfare

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Discussions about Asian same‐sex partnerships (SSPs) and queer families are relatively few due to their low social visibility and lack of legal recognition. Aiming to explore the relationship between the state and queer families beyond the Western context, I examine the connections between family‐related policies and laws, marriage and family norms, and SSPs in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan. These three countries encourage marriage and parenthood within marriage, but they have different policies and laws on same‐sex relationships. By comparing how family‐related laws and policies in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan treat SSPs and queer families, I find that policies with similar goals can be implemented differently. I also examine the long‐lasting heteronormativity and emerging homonormativity in these policies and laws. I further argue that legally and socially constructed connections between family, kin networks, and marriage should be considered in policy making and in academic discussions around SSP in Asia.

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Coming Out of the Closet in Japan: An Exploratory Sociological Study

Cited by 25 publications

References 34 publications

Trends in heterosexual inexperience among young adults in Japan: analysis of national surveys, 1987–2015

Trends in heterosexual inexperience among young adults in Japan: analysis of national surveys, 1987–2015

The herbivore’s dilemma: Trends in and factors associated with heterosexual relationship status and interest in romantic relationships among young adults in Japan—Analysis of national surveys, 1987–2015

Same‐sex partnership in the family policies of Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan

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