Japan: Then and Now.

[sechan19]

On this day, sixty-two years ago, U.S. forces dropped the "Little Boy" atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This bomb, and its counterpart "Fat Man" dropped days later on Nagasaki, did unimaginable damage to the Japanese citizens living near the blast radius.

Yes, Japanese forces were guilty of terrible crimes against other Asian nations during this period, and yes, there are still issues of reconciliation and apology that have never been adequately addressed. However, the atomic bombings were tragic and horrifying, and they must not be forgotten. And they must not ever be repeated.

Here's a link to the story that ran in Britain on August 6, 1945. Also check out the side-bar for a narrative written by a second-generation survivor of the bombings on her and her family's experiences in the aftermath:

BBC On This Day: 1945 - US Drops Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima

Additionally, this site has a number of eye-witness testimonials that describe the bombing:
Voice of Hibakusha

Cutting forward to the present, gender issues in the Japanese workplace continue to be dodgy. However, a new article discusses some of the slow-paced changes that have been implemented of late, and their cause. It seems that Japan's decreasing population is slowly, but surely, forcing companies to look to the female population for expansion of the workplace. It also appears that gender inequality may be one of the causes of Japan's dwindling population. Because women have to choose between child and career, and more and more women are choosing career, things are coming to a crisis point. And some believe that reversing the inequality can likewise reverse the population crisis.

Nevertheless, things remain starkly unfair. (Evidenced by Japan's 42nd-place standing in the world for gender equality in the workplace. The U.S. is supposedly 12th, to give you an idea of how bad things are in Japan. I mean, 12th ain't nothing to brag about here.) I have a lot of work to do.

Career Women in Japan Find a Blocked Path (NY Times)

Comments

Fat Man & Little Boy

[ltsfe.livejournal.com]

When I wake up every morning the first thing I see now is Los Alamos. The view overall is beautiful but not a day goes by that I don't think about what was born there.

[reteva.livejournal.com]

If I recall correctly, Japan is already facing a negative population growth problem.

I agree with you that gender equality in the workplace and advancement issues are the direct result of Japanese cultural norms. I plan to make it my business to study the origin of those norms through art and literature. But the potential cure to the problem is what intrigues me the most - the idea that negative population growth is tied to this inequity and that because of it that inequity is more likely to be rectified. More and more women are choosing career rather than family - and those that actually do choose family are more and more finding themselves having to wait until their thirties or later. As a consequence there are simply less people to hire, and women become more and more well placed because of that. (Slowly, mind you. Very slowly.) In the meantime, studies have shown that higher fertility rates may be tied to workplace equality. So in a bizarre cyclical fashion, the two problems have the potential to solve one another. I find that so fascinating!

[nightartz.livejournal.com]

Dang Nihon seems to be a bit more corrupted than I've imagined. We're no saints either but, that was an interesting read. ^ ^ Thx.