IntroductionAmong developed countries, Japan is known for having the greatest gender inequality. For example, in 2011, only 43% of women in Japan worked in a non-agricultural sector. In the same year in the United States, 48% of women worked in a non-agricultural context (datatopics.worldbank.org). Even the Japanese recognize that men and women are seen in different lights. While the social differences among Japanese women are clear, the factors that push these women to stay within the boundaries established by society and gender roles are more difficult to understand. Some believe that these women do not feel oppressed at all. While others feel that there is no breathing room for women in Japan. Those outside Japan might better understand the situation these women live in by examining the woman's historical role as mother. The role of women in historical Japan has influenced today's social norms, but is there anyone to blame for the inequality that is a controversial issue, especially in the West? How Americans Typically View Japanese Women Equality, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “ the quality or state of having the same rights, social status, etc.”. In America, people continually strive for the ideal of equality, especially when it comes to men and women in the workplace. It is believed that women and men can work equally and should be paid equally. This belief is so strongly ingrained in Americans that they demand that other developed countries are held to the same standards. Japan has a male-dominated workforce, making it difficult for women to get full-time jobs. Therefore, Japan is believed to have severe gender inequality based on this American ideal of equality in the workplace. With this generalization in mind, ...... half of the document ...... cultural sector (% of total non-agricultural employment)." Data. Np, nd Web. 3 February 2014. "Share of women employed in non-agricultural sector (% of total non-agricultural employment)." Data. Np, nd Web. 03 February 2014. . "SKNVibes | Japanese women's Olympic team outperforms men for first time." Japanese women's Olympic team outperforms men for first time. Np, nd Web. 03 February 2014. "The World Bank". Data and statistics on gender equality . Np, nd Web 03 February 2014. "Women in Medieval Japan" (n.d.): n. 2014. .