Deeper Economic Ills at Root of Latest Japan Sexism Scandal
- Long working hours’ culture, aging society compound problems
- Abe’s labor changes have so far fallen short of promises
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Revelations that a medical school in Tokyo systematically excluded female students in favor of less qualified men shocked the world. Yet in Japan, few expect anything to change any time soon.
The scandal highlights broader problems facing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s efforts to revive the economy. From stubborn gender roles to a hard-driving work culture to the ballooning health care needs of a rapidly aging society, many of Japan’s most intractable woes were put on display at Tokyo Medical University.