Gender Inequality and Rural Depopulation in Japan
Akita Prefecture in Japan is facing significant demographic challenges, including an aging population, low birthrate, and a rapidly declining population.
One of the key factors contributing to this issue is the rigid gender roles that are prompting young women to leave rural areas in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
This trend is not unique to Japan, as
people around the world are having fewer children as they make profoundly different decisions about their lives.
NPR's series Population Shift: How Smaller Families Are Changing the World explores the causes and implications of this trend.
In Akita Prefecture, traditional festivals like kanto showcase the region's unique culture, but also highlight the rigid gender roles, where
traditionally, only men are allowed to touch the poles.
Author's summary: Japan's rural areas face depopulation due to gender inequality.
More News
- Could Zohran Mamdani's policies provide a template for other American cities? - Monocle
- The MIAA’s Continued, and Growing, CM Problem | WATD 95.9 FM
- The legitimacy trap: How international institutions sustain the Houthis' hold on Yemen
- Previewing the 2025 MIAA Football Tournaments | WATD 95.9 FM
- Opinion: Governor’s early Christmas spirit is misplaced | Peninsula Clarion