Birds use their tail feathers for steering. Fish and sea mammals use their tail fins for steering and to propel them through the water. (Fish tails move side to side; the tails of sea mammals move up and down.) Grazing animals such as elephants, zebras and giraffes have long, thin tails with a tuft of hair on the end. These tails function like built-in fly swatters that enable the animals to protect themselves from biting insects.
The current position of women in Japanese society can be attributed to the vestiges of two old philosophies - Confucianism, and Samurai based feudalism. These influences are still strong, however in spite of these influences the public role of women has changed markedly since the beginning of World War II.
MacArthur was a godsend for women's rights in Japan. MacArthur spoke of the essential equalities20 of the sexes, women suffrage came in 1946, all inequalities in laws were ended, high schools became coed, 26 women's universities were opened, and nationwide there were now 2,000 female police officers.