User:J1alvara/sandbox
Gender Division Labour
Family policies in Japan are seen to contribute to reach equality through gender labour and societal roles (Vainio, 3). Parental and childcare policies are meant to provide higher income but in result increase and lower mother-service at work versus home involvement with children (Yamaguchi, 18). The issue that continues the lack in female employment derives from grandparental care and low fertility rates. Work contracts encounter restrictions due to length of stay and the child reaching age one. Take-up rate is affected when parental leave policies are not taken advantage of since it lowers economic standing and reduces job continuity.
Post-war labour concerns with the distribution of power amongst father and mother. “[Men form the core of the labour force and women provide social care that takes place at the family and societal levels]” (Vainio, 5). Gender segregation longitudinal studies have covered the interconnection between family, work, and reproduction repercussions. “Fathering Japan is an organisation that provides seminars and events to private citizens, groups and corporations, functions as the contact point for an active community of fathers, and produces material on participatory fatherhood” (Vainio, 6). Maternal assistance varies with tradition, religion, and women’s preference (Yamaguchi, 14). Friendly policies are meant to promote a work-life balance and provide parental satisfaction to accomplish stronger family ties. Women’s spousal economic dependency on men has decreased due to the change in housewife expectations.
Childcare policies contain restrictions under six years old (coverage) and institutional credibility (accredited and non-accredited). “Accredited childcare centers must satisfy the criteria for capacity, area, the number of teachers per pupil, etc.” (Yamaguchi, 8). Subsidized childcare produce crowd funding with informal grandparental care, especially in a nuclear family oriented with the mother employed. Women’s facilitation in the workforce is present but has not accommodated the difficulty of reduction in marriage, childbirth, and low capital (Vainio, 4). When associated with choices between home-work responsibilities, a mother’s leisure and productivity of “human capital” is in jeopardy since it falls with the aging of a child. “In response to concerns about the falling fertility rate, the Ministry of Health and Welfare launched an emergency five-year plan in 1994 to improve daycare services, which was broadened in 1995 to a ten year plan pursued in conjunction with the Labour, Construction, and Education Ministries and named the [‘Angel Plan’]” (Boling,177). The subsidies offer ‘administrative guidance’ in the span of 1 year leave to withhold job protection according to childbirth situation.
