Paper short abstract:

The aim of this paper is to explore feminist voices in Japanese contemporary literature vis-à-vis recent feminist movements. I will focus in particular on Jizoku kanō na tamashii no riyō (The Sustainable Use of Our Souls, 2020) by Aoko Matsuda.

Paper long abstract:

In Japan, feminist voices have been raised against gender-based violence, but they are often barely heard: the #metoo movement, for instance, has not gained much popularity, compared not only with Western countries but also with South Korea. Nevertheless, other movements have raised their voices: in 2019, the #KuToo movement started fighting against the high heel policy in workplaces; in the same year, Flower Demo, a movement to protest sex crimes and sexual violence, was initiated by some feminist activists, with monthly gatherings where participants are given the stage to speak up about their experiences of sexual assault.

Furthermore, literature has also been a place where women could raise their voices against discrimination and violence: Jizoku kanō na tamashii no riyō (The Sustainable Use of Our Souls, 2020) by Aoko Matsuda (b. 1979) is an important example in this regard. In her novel, Matsuda has depicted two worlds: on the one hand, her characters struggle to survive in a misogynistic society where women are either sexual objects used to satisfy men’s desire or victims of male violence; on the other hand, she has created a world where all “middle-aged men” (ojisan) disappeared and women became able to speak out against violence.

The aim of this paper is to explore feminist voices in Japanese contemporary literature vis-à-vis recent feminist movements: through an analysis of Jizoku kanō na tamashii no riyō, with a focus on both the author’s and the fictional characters’ voices, I will show how fiction can be a powerful tool that can break the silence of gender-based violence. I will also investigate male voices, focusing in particular on male characters who do not fully adhere to the dominant ideal of masculinity.

Finally, I will touch upon the influence of Korean feminist literature in Japan vis-a-vis Aoko Matsuda's work.