JAPANESE FATHERS’
INVOLVEMENT IN CHILDCARE
Masako Ishii-Kuntz, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology
University of California, Riverside
1. OVERVIEW




Traditional views on Japanese Fathers and
Extent of Father’s Childcare Involvement
Decline in Birth Rates
Childcare Leave Policy
Significance of Research on Paternal
Involvement
2. RESEARCH
Women and Men for Childcare Network
3. POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Traditional Views of Japanese Fathers
1.
“Earthquake, Thunderous, and Fiery” Fathers
2.
Fatherless Families  Arm’s Distance from
Their Children
3.
Economic provider
Extent of Father’s Childcare Involvement

Time spent with children (per day)
Father
3.32 hours
3.64
4.88
Japan
Korea
U.S.A.

Mother
7.44
8.40
7.57
Childcare time
Japanese mothers  2.39 hours/day
Japanese fathers  17 minutes/day
(10 min./weekday, 29 min./Saturday, 38 min./Sunday)
(Source: Japan Women’s Education Association, 1995)
Decline in Birth Rate

Steady decline in Japanese birth rates since
mid-1970s
1970
1980
1995
2000
2002
2.2 babies on average per woman
1.8
1.5
1.34
1.32
Reasons for Decline in Birth Rate
4.
Women’s higher educational achievement and
participation in labor force
Delay in marriage
Increase in ever-singles
Housing problems
5.
Lack of husband’s involvement in child care
1.
2.
3.
Ministry of Health and Welfare’s
1999 Campaign

Appeal for greater paternal involvement

TV commercials and posters

“A man who doesn’t raise his children can’t be
called a father.”
Child Care Leave Policy

Japan (Revision of 1992)
 Maximum of 1 year
 25% of salary is paid by the Employment
Insurance
 0.2% of fathers; 44.5% of mothers
 Of those who take childcare leave, 99.2% are
mothers

U.S.
 Family care leave (12 weeks a year), Not
compensated.
Significance of Research in Paternal
Involvement
1.
Higher birth rates
2.
Effects on children
3.
Effects on mothers and their marriage
4.
Effects on fathers, themselves
My Research

Why (and How) DO some men actively
participate in child care?

Rather than, why DON’T they participate in
child care?
Father’s Involvement in Childcare
Research Setting:
 In-depth interviews to members of WOMEN
AND MEN FOR CHILDCARE NETWORK
in Japan

 Corporate fathers between 29 and 45
 Childcare Leave, Childcare Hours
WOMEN AND MEN FOR CHILDCARE
NETWORK



Tokyo-based association (Ikujiren)
Aims to increase paternal involvement in
childcare as well as to reduce parents’ work
hours
Monthly meetings, Bi-monthly newsletters
(circulation of 500), Internet discussion list,
Homepage (http://www.eqg.org/), Symposiums,
Lectures
WOMEN AND MEN FOR CHILDCARE
NETWORK: Notable Activities



Response to 1999 campaign  “A man who
doesn’t raise his children can’t be called a father.
Then let us care for our children without any
hesitation.”
A letter to British Prime Minister, Tony Blair
(2000)
Opinion polls on childcare issues among
political candidates for Japanese parliamentary
election
Major Findings
1.
Father-friendly workplace (Childcare Leave,
Childcare Hours, Flextime)
2.
Time availability
3.
Childcare demand at home
4.
Relative resources
Policy Implications

Structural Changes
1.
3.
Increase in Compensation for Childcare
Provision of Father-friendly Workplace
Decrease in Work Hours

Attitudinal Changes
1.
Family Life Education (NCFR)
Prenatal Fathering Education
2.
2.