I would say that one issue is the public life, one issue is the private life. In Italy, like as scholars say in the Meditteranean societies taken in their common characteristics (quite few), the difference between private and public is very sharp. And please let's keep our national shame (Berlusconi) aside from serious issues.

---- Updating ---- I'm sorry for the delay but I realized the presence of your Additional Details only yesterday. "matriarchal society" is a society where the management of the social and familiar structure is completely executed by women. To guess a matriarchal society you should move away men from their position (at every level) and put a women at their place. Now, according to these premises (that you should verify and improve -for my good too :D-) neither Italy nor Japan can have any thing of matriarchal (as well as a lot of countries on this world). Beside the psychological distinction between two sexes, that I share in part, the answer to your wondering should be negative : there isn't a preference for the potential qualities of feminine attitude. "Psychological traits emphasized" in my country are the result of a good amount of clichés which the Italians too seem to love diffusing and maintaining without a real wide correspondence in the society. Frankly the role of woman in Italian society is matter of studies which go beyond my knowledge. I look for facts and then for opinions, so I understand your point of view but I don't share it. There is something of more specific do you want to know ?

Have you read something about social history of the family in Italy ? But, still before, do you know what does the expression "matriarchal society" mean ? (the word "moms" doesn't make me think positively). You should investigate from what your impression come from, always if "impressions" is what this world would need to go forward (I don't think so at all ;-) ).

It seems that Silvio Berlusconi doesn't think so. :)