o 1966: Junko Sakai is born in Tokyo
o 1985: Japanese Equal Employment Opportunity Law is passed
o 2000: Sex and the City television show begins satellite broadcast in Japan
o 2003: Sakai’s Makeinu no Toboe (Howl of the Loser Dogs) essay is published in Japan
o 2004: The word “makeinu” becomes one of the top ten winners in the annual Japanese “Prize for New and Popular Words”
o 2005: Rika Kayama’s Kekkon ga Kowai (Marriage is Frightening) book is published in Japan
o 2008: Makeinu no Toboe television drama broadcast in Japan