Today we got the class going and started with an article from
The Japan Times regarding the much-discussed idea of Japanese women being able to keep their own names after marriage, as advocated by Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Minister of Justice Keiko Chiba. As it stands now, having different surnames is not accepted. There was wide agreement among class members that women should be given choice, but that tradition should not be quickly disregarded. A long cultural discussion needs to happen before changing the laws. What's your opinion?
Today's Vocabulary: feminism, feminist, jargon, "going postal", surname, patriarch(y)(al)
Speaking of the Hatoyama family, how do you think Mrs. Hatoyama (Miyuki) is doing as Japanese First Lady? Is she representing Japan well? What do you know about her?
Compared to past Japanese first ladies, her performaces are appealing in terms of poster girl. She has gained diplomatic advantage since she used to be an actress. In addition, her education in the US helps a lot for communication with foreign people. But compared to the US First Lady Obama, I am afraid her existence is not enough to appeal to the world. Mrs. Hatoyama's performance seems to me a kind of superficial things. Given the evidence to it, recently she does not seems to appear any public place. It is partly because of mass communication or medea, I think. Recent spate of scandales of President and Democratic Party may force her to be calm? If she were a real first lady, she should act her role more sophisticately as First Lady in any situation not only supporting President as a wife but also acting/speaking as a representor of Japan.
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