Marriage Hunting Bra in Japan

Amid Japan's falling marriage rate, Lingerie firm Triumph International has launched a new line of bras to help fix this problem. The lacy and rhinestone studded bra alone may catch the eye of many women. But the countdown clock in the middle is the real catch for marriage-minded women. After punching in the desired marriage deadline, the countdown will begin. After a woman finds her life partner and becomes engaged, the engagement ring is inserted into the slot above the timer. The clock stops and the Wedding March plays. Literally. Also included with this bra is a holder for the family seal and a small pen to be used to sign a pre-nup.

The little heart patches can be removed and worn on the hands. I imagine they're some sort of oven mitt? Pot holders maybe?

The rhinestones are what really sold me. My set should be arriving any day now... A little over the top, dontcha think?

-Jackie

Japanese Women Fight Back

I've studied Japanese for the past two and a half years. One of the first kanji I ever learned was the kanji for "woman".

Onna/おんあ

Two semesters ago, I learned the kanji for the word "cheap".

Yasui/やすい

My teacher (a woman) pointed out the kanji for "woman" was part of the kanji for "cheap"

After pointing it out she shook her head and said "dame desu/だめです", or "not good". Unfortunately, to remember this kanji "Women are cheap" pops into my head. I've also grown weary of Japanese women's place in society.

So, of course, I really appreciate this video about domestic abuse in Japan. The statistics are pretty alarming-- "1 in 3 Japanese women have been physically assaulted in a relationship"?


However, I hate how the end sounds so hopeless. The ending really just suggests that despite efforts, women's shelters, domestic abuse laws, and women speaking out nothing is really going to change, women will still remain as second class citizens.