Establishing a family in Japan

1.

Establishing a family in
Japan: a dream come true
Anastasia Andreeva
Nikita Tonoyan
Group 5
見通し・地域への影響

2.

3.

What’s the issue?
Being a country of well-to-do families
became one of the most desired, yet on of the
most elusive dreams for 21st century Japan

4.

Outline
01.
02.
03.
Father – the
breadwinner
Mother – the
housekeeper
Happy
children
04.
05.
Potential
solutions
Conclusion

5.

2. Father – the breadwinner corporate slave
• Workaholic culture > family
time
• Rise of irregular employment
-> decrease in marriages
->companies
workers poorly
treat
regular

6.

2. Father – the breadwinner corporate slave

7.

2. Father – the breadwinner corporate slave

8.

2. Mother – the house overworking wife
• Juggling domestic work & job
*Lack of shared responsibility
• Gender inequality
*Income disparities
• Is marriage worth it?

9.

2. Mother – the house overworking wife

10.

2. Suffering Children
Japanese kids are the victims
of socio-moral realities

11.

2. Suffering Children (2)
• Features
of
upbringing
(under 6-over 6 rule)
=> Drastic change
• Respect for rules, sense of
being part of a community,
social responsibility shape
personality

12.

2. Suffering Children (3)
• School: adaptation from
freedom to tight schedule,
“ijime”
The nail that sticks out
gets hammered

13.

2. Suffering Children (4)
What’s the problem ?
• Lack
of
attention
towards
children’s
needs from parents
• Marginalization
of
problems
• Lack of support
What’s the result?
• Fear of expressing oneself
=> Refusal to attend schools
=> Spending more time at home
=> Missing out social skills
=>
unproductive,
mentally
disturbed adult

14.

4. What can be done?

15.

4. What can be done?
• Reforming the nonsensical workaholic culture;
• Encouraging family creation through practical
steps & social benefit;
• Active involvement of parents in their children
life
• Counteracting bullying = reform the system to
create an inclusive safe space

16.

5. Conclusion
There’s much to be done:
• Rebalancing family roles;
• Tackling gender inequality;
• Issuing an appropriate state
response

17.

5. References
1.
Semuels,
A.
(2021,
June
30).
The
mystery
of
why
Japanese
people
are
having
so
few
babies.
The
Atlantic.
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/07/japan-mystery-low-birth-rate/534291/
2.
White Paper on State of Overwork in Japan Highlights Links to Depression. Nippon.com. (2023, October 30). https://www.nippon.com/en/japandata/h01818/#:~:text=Japan's%20Ministry%20of%20Health%2C%20Labor,compared%20to%204.2%25%20of%20women.
3.
Long Working Hours and Commutes Contribute to Japanese Fathers Spending Little Time on Housework. Nippon.com. (2022, March 1).
https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01235/
4.
Study:
Gender
gap
in
wages
widens
in
Japan
as
employees
age.
The
Asahi
Shinbun.
(2024,
March
8).
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15192092#:~:text=Among%20developed%20countries%2C%20Japan%20has,87.9%20among%2038%20OECD%
20countries.
5.
Kimoto K. (2023, April). Paternity Leave in Japan. TokyoDev. https://www.tokyodev.com/articles/paternity-leave-in-Japan.
6.
No Vacation: Less Than 20% of Japanese Workers Take Full Paid Leave. Nippon.com. (2023, October 11). https://www.nippon.com/en/japandata/h01798/#:~:text=Japan%20Data-
,No%20Vacation%3A%20Less%20Than%2020%25%20of%20Japanese,Workers%20Take%20Full%20Paid%20Leave&text=A%20survey%20of%20w
orking%20people,workers%20taking%20vacation%20in%20Japan.

18.

Thank you!