Lost in Translation: Exploring Gender Mainstreaming in Japan

This study explores how discourses of gender equality workers in Japan contribute to the construction of gendered subjectivities and how these discourses intersect with the hegemonic neoliberal discourse of gender equality. By employing a thematic and critical discourse analysis, our study revealed the presence of three distinct discursive regimes: a locally adapted neoliberal regime that positions women as resources for development; a critical approach that problematizes a binary view of gender and emphasizes gender equality as a systemic issue; and an essentialist regime that perceives gender equality as incorporating a female perspective and advocates for a more conservative subject position for women in Japan. Expanding on Butler's work, we conclude that discursive displacement can arise within the interaction of various discourse levels, all of which are influenced by the cultural, historical, political, and economic context in which they unfold. We further argue that embracing and recognizing the localized nuances and meanings of gender equality holds the potential to significantly enhance the formulation of both central and local policy decisions. This perspective also opens avenues to effectively counter the effects of neoliberal feminism.