Paper short abstract:

The purpose of this study is to give a brief description of sexuality in contemporary Japanese society, viewing broad range of sexual behavior and consciousness. It, especially focused on sexless couple relationship and extramarital affairs, which both increased in recent years.

Paper long abstract:

Whereas in Western countries continued sexual intimacy is perceived not only as a source of pleasure, but also as essential in maintaining healthy couple relationships across the whole lifespan, the situation in Japan is very different. This study will first give a brief description of sexual consciousness, behavior and sexual norm and in the contemporary Japanese society. It will then highlight especially the causes of the phenomenon of extramarital affairs and sexlessness in couple relationships, which is particularly salient after living together, marriage and childbirth. Survey shows that both phenomenon simultaneous increased in recent years, especially between 2000 and 2012 for both sexes in age of 40's to 60's. This study puts forth possible explanations, among them the relative importance of the relationship's status as opposed to the real lived relationship; the friend-focused approach to relationships which is uninterested in romantic forms of physical intimacy or any common leisure at all; and the historically deep-ingrained perceptions towards the usage of commercial sexual services. The fundament of all the explanations can be traced back to a lack of sexual education. Education regarding sexual health and the benefits of sexual satisfaction for both sides in a couple relationship would diminish the difficulties in understanding how sexuality and family life can be combined. - Alternative discourses that attempt to explain the Japanese particularities of contemporary sexuality in terms of the unique Japanese culture can be dismissed.