Menu2. Public opinion regarding the gender-equal society
According to the public opinion survey on gender equality conducted by the Government in July 1995, to the question asking for the sense of equality for the status of women and men in various fields of the society, it is only in the field of education that more than the majority of both women and men answered that they consider each other as equal (62.3 percent of women, 69.1 percent of men). In other fields, both women and men consider that men are treated better, especially in the realm of general society (79.8 percent of women, 70.0 percent of men), social norm, custom and tradition (78.7 percent of women, 74.9 percent of men), and political field (71.2 percent of women, 61.6 percent of men).
The Japanese Government conducted a public opinion survey on a gender equality society in September 1997. According to the results of the opinion survey, an absolute majority of the people embrace the idea that it is desirable for women to prioritize family life over work or to keep them equally compatible (45.0 percent for giving priority to family life, 41.2 percent for the compatibility of family life with work), and the majority of them still agree with the idea that "Women should be responsible for household work and child-rearing, though it is good for them to have jobs." (86.4 percent agree thereto), while the majority of them embraces the idea that it is desirable for men to prioritize work to family life (62.4 percent for priority to be given to work). Analyzing by gender, women surpassed men in answering that women should prioritize family life over work or to keep them equally compatible, representing the fact that women themselves feel responsible for managing the family.
On the other hand, in comparison with the results of the public opinion survey on gender equality conducted in November 1992, both men and women answering "agree" to the idea that "Women should focus more on their families, i.e. their husband and children rather than on themselves, once married," decreased. Besides, while answering "agree" to "In general, it would be disadvantageous for a woman to be divorced in the society today," increased, people who responded affirmatively to the idea that "It is better to be divorced, if you are not satisfied with your partner," increased. Thus, there is a drastic and flexible change when it comes to view the family.