In the 19th century, the majority of the workers in Japan's modern industries were mainly

In the 19th century, particularly during the Meiji era, Japan's industrialization was spearheaded by the textile industry. Historical data indicates that women constituted the vast majority of the industrial workforce during this period. Specifically, women accounted for approximately 75% to 91% of the Japanese textile factory workforce. These workers were often young women who migrated from rural areas to urban centers to support their family economies. While the Meiji reforms modernized the economy through infrastructure like railways and banking, the actual labor force in the dominant manufacturing sectors remained overwhelmingly female [2]. This unique demographic pattern distinguished Japan from other industrializing nations like Germany, where male labor was more prevalent in similar industries [1]. Consequently, women were the primary spearheads of the Japanese industrial working class during the late 19th century.

Sources

1. [2] Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Paths to Modernisation > Modernising the Economy > p. 160
2. [1] https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/ir/isaru/assets/file/raris/raris-01-5himeoka.pdf