Unmarried Women in Japan The drift into singlehood [Hardcover]

Yoshida addresses the common misconceptions of single, never-married women and aims to uncover the major social and cultural factors contributing to this phenomenon in Japan. Based on interviews with married and never-married women aged 25-46, she argues that the increasing rate of female singlehood is largely due to structural barriers and a culture that has failed to keep up with economic changes.

Here is an academic book that is also reader-friendly to the general audience, it presents evidence from the interview transcripts in rich detail as well as insightful analysis. Important sociological concepts and theories are also briefly explained to guide student readers in making connections. Thus, this book not only serves to enlighten readers on current issues in Japan  it also provides sociological perspectives on contemporary gender inequality.

01. Acknowledgments

02. Introduction: The Drift into Singlehood

03. Chapter 2: Decline of Marriage Age Norm: Cohort Effects and Anomie

04. Chapter 3: Limited Chances of Romance and Problematic Men: Structural Barriers and Gender Ideology

05. Chapter 4: Cohort Contrast in Marriages that Surrounded Women: Impacts of Linked Lives

06. Chapter 5: Womens Ideas about Gender Roles: Persistence of Traditional Gender Ideology

07. Chapter 6: Why Arent Japanese Women Getting Married?

08. Conclusion and Implications

09. Appendix

10. Notes

11. Bibliography

12. Index

In all, the book is a welcome addition to the growing literature on single women in Japan and useful for comparison with the many societies around the world experiencing similar generational and life course changes.

Lynne NAKANO,The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Akiko Ylc&