1. Filipina-Japanese
Intermarriages
A Pathway to New Gender and Cross-Cultural
Relations
2. Objectives:
Analyzes the pattern and trends of intermarriage
between Filipino women and Japanese men (from
1980‟s to present).
Examines the factors leading to the increase in
such marriage and presents the profiles of
Japanese men married to Filipino women.
Analyzes the location of couples in intermarriage in
the larger contexts of society, community and the
family.
Presents the stereotypes about Filipino women
and intermarriage.
3. Overview of Intermarriage in Japan
In 2002, intermarriage constitutes 4.7 percent of
the total number of registered marriage in Japan.
Marriage between Japanese men and Asian
women formed the largest percentage of all
intermarriage:
China- 10,750
Philippines- 7,630
Korea- 5,353
Thailand- 1,536
In 1992 and 1996, Filipino women-Japanese men
marriage dominated the trend.
4. The divorce rate of couple in intermarriage in
Japan is about the same as that of Japanese-
Japanese marriage.
5. The Marriage Market in Japan
With modernization, more young women would
rather be wives (tsuma) instead of brides.
With more options for women outside homes,
marriage has become less compulsory.
Single men in the ages 25 and 35 have difficulty
finding marriage partners.
Jolivet: women could marry but they don’t; men
would like to marry but they can’t.
6. Factors Promoting Intermarriage
Lack of potential partners- increasing
empowerment of Japanese women prompted
Japanese men to seek „ideal wife‟
Increasing labor migration in Asia- the large inflows
of female migrant workers from the Philippines
(1980‟s) as entertainers (mizu-shobai).
7. Participation of local governments and marriage
brokers- arrangement of marriages between local
farmers and brides from abroad.
Attractive personality of Filipino women- as
spontaneous, cheerful, leads to propose marriage.
8. Filipina-Japanese Marriages: Beyond Stereotypes
Filipinas have been mostly portrayed as japayuki or
hanayome (brides).
While Japanese men are depicted as weaklings and
losers.
Socio-economic Background
Most of the husbands are financially stable.
The diverse socio-economic profile of Japanese men
married to Filipino women discredits the popular
image as „losers‟.
9. Filipino Women‟s View of their Japanese
Husbands
Filipino women as wives characterizes their
Japanese husbands by personality as:
Mabait- good provider, loves and cares for the
wife and family
Mahigpit- prohibits his Filipino wife from
associating with Filipina friends to
Japanese men
Salbahe- mean and abusive husband which
inflicts violence on his wife
10. Issues in Intermarriages
1. LANGUAGE CONSTRAINTS- many experience
difficulty in communicating with their Japanese
husbands in the early stage of marriage.
2. STEREOTYPES ABOUT FILIPINO WOMEN-
dominant image of Filipina as entertainers in
Japan
3. DIFFERENT NOTIONS OF FAMILY- The nuclear
family is the central social unit in Japan (which
explains the lack of support and indifference of a
Japanese husband to the relatives of his wife)
11. 4. WHERE TO LIVE- Filipina-Japanese couples
have to deal with the question where to live.
5. BECOMING NURTURING FATHERS- Some
professionals tend to work overtime, leaving the
burden of household care to their Filipina wife.
12. 6. REARING “DOUBLE KIDS”- how to raise and nurture the
identity of the child.
7. RACISM- thrives if couples do not attempt to know their
partners cultural background.
“Double kids”
13. Towards a New Consciousness
Egalitarian Relationship
Japanese women empowerment is an indicator of
an open, if not equal, social position in the society.
14. Metaphors and Men‟s Gender Consciousness
Filipino and Japanese languages have similarities to
describe power relations in intermarriage:
The Filipino expression under de saya (under the
skirt of one‟s wife) is analogous to Japanese
expression shire ni shikareru (placed under the
hip)
15. Other metaphors related to gender roles in the
family point to the important role of women:
In the Philippines, men are regarded as the pillar of
the home (haligi ng tahanan) while the women are
the light of the home (ilaw ng tahanan).
16. Rewards of Negotiating Gender Roles
The gains of gender equality are mostly in terms of
the beneficial effect on the quality of relationship
with women, with children and with other men.
By not acting out the masculine stereotype,
Japanese men gain love, affection, and peace of
mind.
17. Conclusion
Filipina-Japanese intermarriage offered some
Japanese opportunities for self-reflection.
The study challenge the stereotypes of “Japanese
men who loved Filipinas”
It is also a shift in paradigms in the analysis
Filipina-Japanese marriages.
Filipina-Japanese intermarriage open possibilities
for unrestricted gender relations and more
informed cross-cultural relations.
18. Intermarriage
A departure from the assumption that cross-
cultural marriages usually lead to cultural conflicts
and problematic marriage.
