Professor Akiko Takeyama, from the University of Kansas, traveled to UCA to delve into the world of Japanese women, discussing consent and the lives of sex workers. 

Zach Smith, a history professor, introduced Takeyama to the audience and discussed how his class was reading Takeyama’s book, “Involuntary Consent: The Illusion of Choice in Japan’s Adult Video Industry.”

“We just read this book in preparation for class,” he said. “I’m so excited and made by just the kind of empathy and curiosity and just really the kind of significant type of details into gender and labor power in this kind of globalized world that we’re living. And so it’s in that context that I’m really excited I get to learn from Dr. Takeyama on this ongoing research project on redefining consent, sexual violence, justice and women’s emotional labor in Japan.”

Takeyama explained the concept of middle voice, which she described as “neither active or passive.” 

This Japanese concept is called chudotai, and it explores the idea that actions and responsibilities are not attributed to a single agent.

Takeyama also provided statistics about sexual violence in Japan according to the NHK Survey of Victims of Sexual Violence and Harassment. 

The Survey found that 40% of the 38,383 responses were verbally harassed with sexually explicit language. Half of the respondents were under the age of 15 when they experienced abuse. 

Takeyama said this survey demonstrates how unrealistic the resistance requirement for rape in Japan is, as many of the victims reported falling into a “frozen state”  or “were unable to understand what was happening to them.” 

Takeyama also provided anecdotal evidence of involuntary consent in Japan, quoting women on their experiences with sexual violence. 

Senior Zoe Schultz, a major in creative writing and anthropology, said she came to the event because she minors in Asian studies and is interested in gender in Asia. 

“Asian Affairs aren’t really delved into in public education, at least for like K-12. If I weren’t an Asian studies minor, I wouldn’t know any of this,” Schultz said. “People look at the 4B Movement from Korea, and they’re like, ‘Oh, Asian countries are actually doing something,’ and it’s like, no, there has been stuff happening, but because of the cultural differences, there’s a miscommunication between, Western and Asia. So we just don’t view it with the same tact we would view American affairs.

“I guess I didn’t realize how passive women are taught when they’re growing up, like their voice, as opposed to active — like how the men are,” she said.

Junior Jordan Montgomery, a major in communication science disorders, went to the event for extra credit in her elementary Japanese class.

“I learned about the middle voice and how much it applies there,” she said. “Then just thinking about how much it applies to our own lives here —  just learning what is actually consensual and what’s not.” 

Smith said the event was sponsored in part by the Arkansas Division of the National Consortium and the UCA Center for Teaching Excellence and Academic Leadership. 

“We’re teaching about Asia,” he said. “This is a decades-long initiative sponsored by the Freedom Foundation to empower mostly K-12 teachers to center Asia in their classrooms.” 

Smith said, “I am thankful for the conversations we’ve been able to have today about kind of ways to kind of grow and promote Asian studies on campus.” 

Information about the Asian studies club can be found on CubConnect.