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"DAWN" Newsletter of The DAWN CENTER

Interview

Fusayo Kameyama

Ms. Kameyama is a popular Japanese entertainer for the leading entertainment company Yoshimoto Kogyo Co., Ltd. She was born in 1967. She has received many comedy awards for her work with a male partner as a stand-up comedian pair in theaters and on TV for the past twelve years starting in 1989. At the age of 30, she started to host a Chinese conversational language TV program, which marked a move away from variety shows towards more social and educational topics. She got married at 34 to a news cameraman, and a year later gave birth to a baby girl.

During her busy schedule, Ms. Kameyama also gives lectures on "Sex Education for Teenagers" to junior and senior high school students, teachars and their parents. This theme was inspired in 1989 by a female high school student who called into her radio show and talked about her concerns regarding unwanted pregnancy. In her lectures, she always emphasizes, "To understand correct sex education is to understand the importance of life." Her lectures have since been published.

Q) You are now in your late 30's taking care of a child and working as an entertainer. Are you satisfied with your life?

A) I never really intended to become an entertainer. I was born into a merchant's family, so I always liked the idea of becoming an office worker. As a junior college student, I worked part-time for Yoshimoto's general affairs office. At that time, my boss told me that I could be an entertainer. So, I just followed that advice and kept going. In my 20's my schedule was full and I thought that was great. But after I got married and had a baby in my 30's, I started to ask myself, "What do I really want to do?" I began to be more selective about the jobs that I accepted. For example, I turned down appearances on TV variety shows where people throw food on other people's faces. Instead, I tried to get work on programs that were more educationally oriented. Now, I'm happy not only appearing on TV as an entertainer, but also taking part in the production and planning of TV programs.

Q) Usually men and women stand-up comedian partners are or were married couples, but you and your partner were the first unmarried comedy pair. Given this situation you have said that you have become aware of gender issues, haven't you?

A) My partner is fifteen years older than I am and not my husband. We were treated totally equal on stage in an entertainment world that has a strict hierarchy and gender discrimination. But the audiences gave us strange looks, questioning our relationship, and rarely laughed because we were unmarried. They expected men and women comedy partners to be married and perform acts that deal with married life. If the audience knows the comedians are in fact married, they tend to enjoy the funny but sharp verbal jabs that the pair makes with more affection. Because of this cultural expectation the audiences didn't laugh and that was difficult. Also, women comedians use their bodies and experiences to make the audience laugh and this is sometimes emotionally wearing.

Q) In 2003, the average life expectancy of Japanese women reached 85.33 years, which is the longest in the world. Considering this, in terms of a stage in life, what are your thoughts about women in their 30's?

A) I can't give you a simple answer because the experiences and feelings in the early and the late 30's are different. If I'm forced to say, the 30's for a woman might be equivalent to the prime age for a man that being his 40's. As for me, I'm just getting started and feel like I'm running at the best of my ability. For instance, comparing my life to a marathon, my goal is still far ahead, so my main concern is where I should drink water along the way.

Q) With your experience giving lectures about sex education for the past twelve years, what are your views on the present situation regarding young people and sexual activity? What is the most serious problem that should be addressed? Also, the issues of late marriage and the decline in the birthrate have further increased in Japan. The total birthrate (the average number of children per woman throughout her life) in Japan fell to its lowest point at 1.29 in 2003. This is now considered a serious political and social issue due to the negative economic consequences it might cause. What do you think about these issues?

A) I have become increasingly aware that girls who have been engaging in problematic sexual activity have been getting younger and younger over the past ten years or so. When I started to give lectures, my listeners were high school girls. Now, some listeners are 5th and 6th grade students. I was aware of the sexual abuse of children by adults and minors working as prostitutes, through the letters I received from children, before these issues were publicly recognized social problems.
In Japan, there are no religious restrictions on abortions and many young people have had the sad experience of an abortion. The high rate of abortion is ironic when you consider the decline in the birthrate. In my opinion, there are immature young people that only seek the pleasure that sex gives as if it was some fashion and end up using all of their energy before they are married and have a child. On the other hand, job opportunities for women are expanding and marriage is not the only choice in their life, so they tend to get married later. I would guess that these factors are closely connected to the decline in the birthrate. Indeed. It is a difficult problem.
All adults are worried and at a loss about young people having sex. Talking with children, I have been able to see the condition of their family relationships. To give an example, parents that are critical and don't get along well with each other end up influencing their children badly. I understand that parents love their children, but as someone who has more life experience, they should have more discussions about sex with their children and look deeper into their world. It might be a nice idea to write a letter to their children. Parents need to teach their children that having sex and becoming pregnant at an early age holds with it many mental and physical health risks. Furthermore, parents, schools, and the community should work together and take steps to deal with this issue.

Q) Please give a message to women in their 30's all over the world.
A) Despite different nations, circumstances, and customs, women in their 30's are both mentally and physically developed. So, with flexibility and an open mind, lets all try to learn as much as we can.

Interviewer: Ayumi Nishina

Ms. Kameyama at a TV studio of Japan Broadcasting Corporation.

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