Gender Inequalities in present-day Saudi Arabia and Meiji Japan

Juhan Chung

Asia Pacific International School, Hawaii Campus

Abstract

Recent racial or gender-rights movements have brought social inequalities into sharp focus. Although it may be impossible to eliminate all prejudices in society, it is crucial to remember the extensive social reforms that have been made during the last century. To better understand various social problems between the past and modern society, this article compares gender inequality between present-day Saudi Arabia and Meiji Japan, a period of rapid economic and social developments from 1868 to 1912. While women’s rights in Japan have gone through numerous phases in its long history, Saudi Arabia could learn from some of Japan’s historical and more recent efforts at improving gender inequalities.

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