Why Japanese hesitate to use the word "sex" (Second Chapter)

In this chapter, I explain the recondite history which forms a present principle of sex in the definition of Japanese people, which is rooted in about 140 years ago.

In 1868, just after Meiji restration, Meiji government promulgated 神仏分離令(SHINBUTSUBUNRIREI) which separated Shinto and Buddhism. At the same time, it was the way to coalesce several Shinto worships into one body, 国家神道(KOKKASHINTOU), and then forbade some lewd worships like phallicism. Phallicism which is to revere a male genital organ as a the subject of worship is still prevelent in some certain areas in Japan even nowadays, however in those days, it was eminently derogated or discreminated by national authorities. Why was it happened? Since,generaly speaking, lewd worships were unfortunately but explicitly indecent. The government had to have a Shinto which was not religious in its definition but the representative of Japan as a way to enhance national prestige. Some people say that it was required in then unfledged nation needed to expand its lands and would finally invade other countries some decades afterwards. As you have read, obscene religious symbols were one and another devastated, which meant things that had been once taken for granted was appeared antiqueted. It was the incarnation of new virtue.



To be continued