123: How the pandemic exacerbated Japan's gender inequality w/ Hanako Montgomery

During the pandemic, women in Japan have been more likely to lose their jobs, face increased pressure at home and be victims of domestic violence. And data released earlier this month showed that in 2021 suicides increased among women for the second year running, whilst declining for men.
Hanako Montgomery, a reporter for Vice World News in Japan, discusses Japan’s poor record on gender equality, why the pandemic has impacted women in particular, and what the country is trying to do about the rise in suicides among women.

Read/see more:

• Japan Is Facing an Alarming Spike in Female Suicides (Hanako Montgomery, Vice)
• Suicides by women rose in Japan for second straight year in 2021 (The Japan Times)
• COVID scared her. But it was loneliness that nearly killed her. (Hanako Montgomery, Vice)
• Japanese schools are still banning ponytails because they could ‘sexually excite’ men (Hanako Montgomery, Vice)
• Bloste counseling app

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Sponsor:
Today’s episode is sponsored by RGF Professional Recruitment Japan, the bilingual arm of Recruit, Japan and Asia's largest recruiting and information service company. Visit RGF Professional Recruitment Japan to register your resume and unleash your potential today.

On this episode:
Hanako Montgomery: Twitter | Articles | Instagram
Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Transcript:
We have recently begun experimenting with transcripts for episodes of Deep Dive. A full transcript of this episode is available on The Japan Times website. Find transcripts useful? Tips for improvement? Contact us to let us know.

Crisis lines:
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 119 in Japan for immediate assistance. The TELL Lifeline is available for those who need free and anonymous counseling at 03-5774-0992. You can also visit them at telljp.com. For those in other countries, visit www.suicide.org for a detailed list of resources and assistance.

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Photo: In 2021, Japan placed 120th out of 156 countries in the World Economic Forum's gender equality list. | Getty Images