Patriarchal Household and Fisheries Governance in Japan during the Period of Fishing Ground Extension: Research Perspectives for Geographical Studies

This paper reviews studies on rural village societies in Japan to present perspectives for analyzing the relationship between fisheries governance and patriarchy. To illustrate these perspectives in relation to empirical reality, this study outlines institutional changes in village organizations, households, and fisheries governance, based on archival materials and interviews conducted in a fishing village in Japan’s northeastern region. Particular attention is given to the period of modernization and expansion of Japan’s fisheries, when significant transformations occurred in fisheries systems and productive capacity. From this review, we present three perspectives to be examined in empirical research: (1) the relationship between the patriarchal household and the village in the granting and use of exclusive fishing rights; (2) women’s economic independence and relative value of their labor within the household and the village; and (3) the relationship between patriarchal authority and horizontal organization within the village. In the case study, we demonstrated how women assumed roles in resource management, while also highlighting the spatial changes in fishery governance, fishing grounds, and social organization. While political ecology has long employed the concept of patriarchy as a key analytical lens, it has often lacked empirical grounding in regional diversity. In contrast, rural studies in Japan offer valuable insights in this context. In particular, the spatial analysis presented in this paper makes a meaningful contribution to advancing geographical research on gender-inclusive fisheries governance.