Japan and Muslim Women

In English class, we're reading Reading Lolita in Tehran. It's written by Iranian expatriate and American Literature professor Azar Nafisi about her experiences teaching American literature in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution. For detailed chapter summaries, check here. If you're not in a reading (except for my blog) mood, just know that the themes in the book have a lot to do with Nafisi and her female students forging unique identities in spite of government control over how they dress, look, act, and live.

You might be wondering, how does this possibly connect to Japan? After all, Japan isn't exactly known for religious diversity. However, .2% of the Japanese population calls itself Muslim. If you think this percentage is insignificant, just remember .2% of people in the world are Jewish. Muslims have been in Japan for only about 100 years, and are thought to have originally come when some Tartar Muslims were escaping the Russians. The population is highly convert-driven, but Muslim businessmen are also coming now. For information, check here.

Businessmen is where the business of today's post begins. Like many men, these Muslim businessmen seek to marry once they come to Japan. Obviously there aren't very many eligible Japanese Muslim bachelorettes, so often they take native Japanese wives. These wives often convert to Islam as a condition of marriage because of religious doctrine.

As the director of the Islamic Center of Japan puts it, "Women are attracted to Islam because they want freedom. Islam gives them independence because they do not have to be a slave of any man. Islam is against moral aggression against women. The chastity and honor of women are protected. No illicit relations are allowed. All these things attract women."

The article, originally published in the Japan Times, goes on to discuss the difficulties Muslim women face living in Japan. The Islamic lifestyle is radically different than that of most Japanese: different clothing like headscarves, different rituals like prayer, and different social customs like no drinking. Within the article, it is speculated that the difference and rigidness of Islam might attract some women.

It is interesting to see the contrast between Reading Lolita, where the less fundamental Muslim is the minority, and Japan, where the observant Muslim is in the minority. It seems like it might be easier for the Japanese women to find meaning in their religion then it is for Nafisi to do so, simply because it becomes an active choice versus a forced one. Being a minority is hard, but the article (although it predates 9/11) doesn't really mention persecution. In that context, Islam can be regarded as a rewarding lifestyle. That's a counter-narrative to the way we regard Islam in popular culture.