Article by Associate Professor Nana Oishi. Melbourne Asia Review.
January 3, 2021.
Japan has so far been perceived as handling the COVID-19 pandemic relatively well. Although the number of newly recorded cases of infection has been soaring since it was hit by a ‘third wave’ in November, its death rate is still lower than most industrialised countries. Nevertheless, the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 have still been significant in Japan and affected the lives of many, particularly those of women. Analyses of data between February (when the first COVID-19 case was found in Japan) and October (the latest available data) found that the employment impact on women was not as grave as widely suspected.
However, the official employment data may not necessarily present an accurate picture as they seem to include many cases of underemployment—situations where individuals officially still hold positions, but may not be working at all or being paid. Increasing cases of suicide among women, as well as higher rates of sexual and domestic violence are alarming, suggesting the further deterioration of women’s mental and physical well-being and the feminisation of poverty.
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