'Corporate warriors' and 'company animals' are common terms used to describe Japanese sarariman ( salarymen ), the former referring to salarymen as the samurai of Japan's post - war economic miracle and the latter suggesting servile creatures of Japanese corporations. This thesis explores Japanese salaryman masculinity, that is, the 'hegemonic masculinity' in Japan. The study collects the life - histories of 39 men across three generations of salarymen, so that the oldest men in my sample were in their 70s and the youngest in their 20s. While research on Japanese masculinities has expanded rapidly in recent years, no other study, to the author's knowledge, explores generational changes. This generational approach allows exploration of maintenance of and changes in hegemonic masculinity over time. This thesis pays attention to the phases of salarymen's lives. In the period of growing up, participants were continually confirmed in their self - worth through a hierarchy grounded on age and gender in the settings of the family, school and neighbourhood. Across the three generations, participants grew up in a homosocial and heterosexual world, barely mixing with the opposite sex and focusing on educational outcomes for successful careers after their schooling. Despite their immersion in comradeship, most participants ensconced themselves comfortably in the institution of marriage. While a few unconventional families emerged in the sons' generation, the traditional gendered division of labour is reproduced across the three generations. Many participants rejected equal opportunities for women in the workforce and participated very little in housework and childcare, claiming that providing the family income was their 'childcare'. Participants understood themselves as corporate warriors, or elite male workers, rather than company animals. Nevertheless, some young respondents evinced a tinge of jealousy for increasing number of ' freeters ' ( part - time workers ). Moreover, several men in the grandfathers' generation regretted their current minimal contact with their children and grandchildren as a result of their absence from home while children were growing up. Thus Japanese salarymen in this study expressed aspects of both the corporate warrior and the company animal in reflecting on their experiences. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Social Sciences, 2006.

published_or_final_version / Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

Cheung Yuk Man. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-137). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iii / List of Figures and Note --- p.iv / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Overview / Literature Review / Methodology / Chapter Chapter 2 --- "Background study: Meanings of life, work, and railway hobby in Japan" --- p.25 / Introduction / Meanings of life in Japan: Past and present / The possibility of finding an authentic ikigai: Hobby in Japan / General background of railway hobby and hobbyists in Japan / Conclusion: Justifying railway hobby as a legitimate ikigai / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Making sense of self: Relationship between work and hobby among different salaried men --- p.44 / Introduction / The loss of vocation: The impossibility to find an ideal job for railway hobbyists / The burden of prestige: Elite salarymen who must always focus on their work / Seeking a place for self: Different ways to maintain identity as hobbyists / Working alone: An ideal workplace for hobbyists? / Conclusion: Towards a common mentality of railway hobbyists / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Hobby as ikigai outside and inside of company --- p.65 / Introduction / Dealing with institutional rules: Crafting one's own time without violating rules / Power via peer support: Getting accepted among colleagues and superiors / Finding a place of self and for ikigai in everyday life / "Conclusion: Asserting a space for self in a ""groupist"" world of work" / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Negotiating ikigai as hobby within the family --- p.90 / Introduction / Difficulties and possibilities for hobbyists to find partners / Negotiating between wife and trains: From ideals to realities / Problems and issues in family life: From unification to separation / Conclusion: Searching for a self beyond the private sphere of family / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.111 / A lifelong journey for the hobby / Meanings of hobby among hobbyists / A possible trend in the future: Enjoying oneself alone / Appendix --- p.122 / Bibliography --- p.124