All societies are oppressive to women in one way or the other. I understand your comment was based on a specific concern which is valid but I think not every country has to be compared to the US and portrayed as far worse. I absolutely agree that Japan is a very traditional society with certain gender based roles still negatively impacting the lives of Japanese women but I think for a society to go from war obsessed jingoists to one that prefers peace and mutual coexistence in a single generation is an achievement. Americans have not achieved the same. In my opinion, like you said, the youth of Japan is actively shunning the more sexist aspects of their culture which is a great thing.