Dear all
After going on sabbatical in Sweden. Probably, I can look at Japan from the outside viewpoint.
The ban on corporal punishment is crucial in every countries and region. I understand the universal significance of it based on the evidence of the various adverse sequelae of corporal punishment.
But what is a good strategy to change Japanese society as respecting child rights and supporting difficult families?
The structure of Japanese society is based on not only Confucianism but also Legalism. Both came from ancient China and developed in Japan.
Confucianism teaches that the regime has responsibilities for the people, famine for example.
Legalism stands on the philosophy that the policy in mutual trust is difficult, so, setting penalties by law is necessary to rule the people by power.
Both philosophies are dominant in Japanese society.
So, familism which means a child is attached to a family and a father as the breadwinner is central and is predominant even in the face of globalization. Familism has based on these two philosophies.
Japan is a country with neoliberalism as an economic policy and this classical philosophy as a social structure.
This Japanese background makes child abuse including corporal punishment much less visible than in other democratic countries.
I would like to share the importance of banning corporal punishment with the child-rearing generation on a higher level of understanding that respects each other.
Kind regards,
Hajime
CHIFA Profile: Hajime Takeuchi is a professor at the Bukkyo University in Japan. Professional interests: child health, child poverty, child wellbeing. takechanespidATgmail.com He is a CHIFA Country Representative for Japan http://www.hifa.org/support/members/hajime
