Teruko Mizushima (1920-1996) was a Japanese housewife, author, inventor, social commentator, and activist credited with creating the world's first timebank in 1973.[1][2][3]
Image of Osaka Station taken some time in the 1920s
Mizushima was born in 1920 in Osaka to a merchant household.[4] She performed well in school and was given the opportunity to study overseas in the United States in 1939. Her stay was shortened from three years to one due to rising tensions between the US, Japan, and China. Mizushima opted to pursue a short-term diploma course in sewing.[5]
After returning home, she married. Her first daughter was born at the outbreak of the Pacific War, and her husband was soon conscripted into the army.[6]
Mizushima's sewing skills proved invaluable to her family during and after the war. While the Japanese population was suffering immense material shortages,[7] Mizushima offered her sewing skills in exchange for fresh vegetables. It was during this time that she began to develop her ideas about economics and the relative value of labor.[8][2]
In 1950, Mizushima submitted an essay to a newspaper contest as part of a national event titled “Women's Ideas for the Creation of a New Life.”[9] Her essay received the Newspaper Companies’ Prize.[1] While it has since been lost, the ideas in the essay attracted widespread press attention.[10]
Mizushima soon became a social commentator, with her views being aired on the radio, in the newspapers, and on television. She frequently appeared on the NHK, the country's national broadcaster, and toured the country giving talks about her ideas.[11]
Volunteer Labour Network
In 1973 she started her group the Volunteer Labour Bank (later renamed the Volunteer Labour Network). By 1978, the bank had grown to include approximately 2,600 members. The membership included people of all ages, from teenagers to women in their seventies. The majority of members were housewives in their thirties and forties. Members were organized into over 160 local branches throughout the country, coordinated by the headquarters located on Mizushima’s estate.[2]
By 1983, the network had over 3,800 members organized in 262 branches, including a branch in California.[1]
Care for the elderly was a priority. Before the introduction of long-term care insurance in 2000, Japan had no state-based system for elder care, so this work fell almost entirely in the hands of unpaid women family members. Elders without family had few options, and the VLN worked to bridge this gap in services.[12][13][14]
While not explicitly a women's liberation movement, the group shared many goals in common with feminists, and coincided with the formation of many new women's groups as well-educated non-married women were becoming a significant cultural force in Japan.[15]
After her death in 1996, VLN membership declined, and fell to just under 1,000 by 2007.[16]
Published works
(1967) Tanoshi Seikatsu Sekkei; English Translation: Pleasant Life Design
(1983) Pro no Shufu Pro no Hahaoya: Borantia Rōryoku Ginkō no 10 Nen; English Translation: Professional Housewife Professional Mother: 10 Years of the Volunteer Labour Bank
(1992) Yutakasa no Seikatsu Gaku: Kyōgō Kazoku to Borantia Rōryoku Ginko; English Translation: Studies of an Affluent Life: Co-op Family and the Volunteer Labour Bank
Miller, Jill (2008a). "Teruko Mizushima: Pioneer Trader in Time as a Currency". Intersections: Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific (17). Retrieved 20 February 2021.
Miller, Elizabeth J. (2008b). BOTH BORROWERS AND LENDERS: TIME BANKS AND THE AGED IN JAPAN (PhD). Australian National University.
Mizushima, Teruko (1983). Puro no shufu puro no hahaoya : Borantia Rōryoku Ginkō no 10-nen (in Japanese) (Shohan ed.). Kyōto-shi: Mineruva Shobō. ISBN4623015009.
Mizushima, Teruko (1992). Yutakasa no seikatsugaku. ミネルヴァ書房. ISBN4623022536.
Dower, John (1999). Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. pp. 87–112.
Lebra, Takie (2007). Identity, Gender, and Status in Japan(PDF). Kent, UK: Global Oriental Ltd. ISBN978-1-905246-17-5. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
Lietaer, Bernard (2004). "Complementary Currencies in Japan Today: History, Originality and Relevance". International Journal of Community Currency Research. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
Hayashi, Marumi (2012). "Japan's Fureai Kippu Time-banking in Elderly Care: Origins, Development, Challenges and Impact". International Journal of Community Currency Research. 16 (A). doi:10.15133/j.ijccr.2012.003.
January 13, 2023
teruko, mizushima, 1920, 1996, japanese, housewife, author, inventor, social, commentator, activist, credited, with, creating, world, first, timebank, 1973, contents, early, life, volunteer, labour, network, published, works, also, references, sourcesearly, li. Teruko Mizushima 1920 1996 was a Japanese housewife author inventor social commentator and activist credited with creating the world s first timebank in 1973 1 2 3 Contents 1 Early life 2 Volunteer Labour Network 3 Published works 4 See also 5 References 6 SourcesEarly life Edit Image of Osaka Station taken some time in the 1920s Mizushima was born in 1920 in Osaka to a merchant household 4 She performed well in school and was given the opportunity to study overseas in the United States in 1939 Her stay was shortened from three years to one due to rising tensions between the US Japan and China Mizushima opted to pursue a short term diploma course in sewing 5 After returning home she married Her first daughter was born at the outbreak of the Pacific War and her husband was soon conscripted into the army 6 Mizushima s sewing skills proved invaluable to her family during and after the war While the Japanese population was suffering immense material shortages 7 Mizushima offered her sewing skills in exchange for fresh vegetables It was during this time that she began to develop her ideas about economics and the relative value of labor 8 2 In 1950 Mizushima submitted an essay to a newspaper contest as part of a national event titled Women s Ideas for the Creation of a New Life 9 Her essay received the Newspaper Companies Prize 1 While it has since been lost the ideas in the essay attracted widespread press attention 10 Mizushima soon became a social commentator with her views being aired on the radio in the newspapers and on television She frequently appeared on the NHK the country s national broadcaster and toured the country giving talks about her ideas 11 Volunteer Labour Network EditIn 1973 she started her group the Volunteer Labour Bank later renamed the Volunteer Labour Network By 1978 the bank had grown to include approximately 2 600 members The membership included people of all ages from teenagers to women in their seventies The majority of members were housewives in their thirties and forties Members were organized into over 160 local branches throughout the country coordinated by the headquarters located on Mizushima s estate 2 By 1983 the network had over 3 800 members organized in 262 branches including a branch in California 1 Care for the elderly was a priority Before the introduction of long term care insurance in 2000 Japan had no state based system for elder care so this work fell almost entirely in the hands of unpaid women family members Elders without family had few options and the VLN worked to bridge this gap in services 12 13 14 While not explicitly a women s liberation movement the group shared many goals in common with feminists and coincided with the formation of many new women s groups as well educated non married women were becoming a significant cultural force in Japan 15 After her death in 1996 VLN membership declined and fell to just under 1 000 by 2007 16 Published works Edit 1967 Tanoshi Seikatsu Sekkei English Translation Pleasant Life Design 1983 Pro no Shufu Pro no Hahaoya Borantia Rōryoku Ginkō no 10 Nen English Translation Professional Housewife Professional Mother 10 Years of the Volunteer Labour Bank 1992 Yutakasa no Seikatsu Gaku Kyōgō Kazoku to Borantia Rōryoku Ginko English Translation Studies of an Affluent Life Co op Family and the Volunteer Labour BankSee also EditEdgar S Cahn Complementary Currency Time based Currency Ithaca Hours Fureai KippuReferences Edit a b c Lietaer 2004 4 a b c Lebra 2007 169 Hayashi 2012 33 Miller 2008a 5 Miller 2008a 6 Miller 2008a 7 Dower 1999 87 112 Miller 2008a 11 12 Mizushima 1984 191 Miller 2008a 20 Miller 2008a 25 Miller 2008a 34 Miller 2008b 123 Hayashi 2012 34 Miller 2008a 28 Miller 2008b 140 Sources EditMiller Jill 2008a Teruko Mizushima Pioneer Trader in Time as a Currency Intersections Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific 17 Retrieved 20 February 2021 Miller Elizabeth J 2008b BOTH BORROWERS AND LENDERS TIME BANKS AND THE AGED IN JAPAN PhD Australian National University Mizushima Teruko 1983 Puro no shufu puro no hahaoya Borantia Rōryoku Ginkō no 10 nen in Japanese Shohan ed Kyōto shi Mineruva Shobō ISBN 4623015009 Mizushima Teruko 1984 Tanoshii seikatsu sekkei Shohan ed Kyōto shi Mineruva Shobō p 191 ISBN 462301567X Mizushima Teruko 1992 Yutakasa no seikatsugaku ミネルヴァ書房 ISBN 4623022536 Dower John 1999 Embracing Defeat Japan in the Wake of World War II New York W W Norton and Company pp 87 112 Lebra Takie 2007 Identity Gender and Status in Japan PDF Kent UK Global Oriental Ltd ISBN 978 1 905246 17 5 Retrieved 16 February 2021 Lietaer Bernard 2004 Complementary Currencies in Japan Today History Originality and Relevance International Journal of Community Currency Research 8 Retrieved 16 February 2021 Hayashi Marumi 2012 Japan s Fureai Kippu Time banking in Elderly Care Origins Development Challenges and Impact International Journal of Community Currency Research 16 A doi 10 15133 j ijccr 2012 003 Retrieved from https 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