• DOI:10.1086/493355
• Corpus ID: 144035101

Japan's Literary Feminists: The "Seito" Group

@article{Reich1976JapansLF,
  title={Japan's Literary Feminists: The "Seito" Group},
  author={Pauline C. Reich and Atsuko Fukuda},
  journal={Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society},
  year={1976},
  volume={2},
  pages={280 - 291}
}

• P. Reich, Atsuko Fukuda
• Published 1 October 1976
• Art
• Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society

Despite an active and productive first-wave feminist movement, which predates by two generations current international efforts to improve the status of women, present-day Japan, with its "modern" society dominated by samurai in business suits, does not reflect the gains women have made in other nations and societies. Preceding the necessary political activism of such contemporary leaders as Ichikawa Fusae (b. 1893)1 was a literary articulation of women's awareness of themselves and of their social problems. As early as the 1890s, Japanese women, some of whom were poor and others of whom were more or less privileged, explored arranged marriage, the geisha and mistress system, lack of decent employment and the poverty this caused, a desire for independence from family and men, and abortion. Unfortunately, neither they nor the majority of Japanese women writers have been translated into English. Lacking critical respect and reputation, they are not considered significant enough to compete with the male authors who have gained international stature. In some cases, their themes would be an embarrassment to the male establishment if sent abroad. Unfortunately, few young Japanese themselves are familiar with these writers, although