Statistics show that women are less likely to be employed compared to their male counterparts all over the globe. The International Labor Organization confirmed that as of 2018, the global unemployment rate of women is higher than that of men. However, this does not hold true when it comes to the recent employment scenario in Japan. With an apparent problem on labor shortage brought about by its graying population, more and more Japanese establishments have opened job opportunities for women. To expand the number of women workers, firms have also exerted efforts to accomodate working mothers in their companies.
The Japanese government also encourages employers to ensure that their workplace and employment arrangement are more conducive for female employees. According to recent studies conducted by Disco Inc., a recruitment information company in Tokyo, an increasing number of female employees prefer to maintain both a full-time career and a family of their own. Women employees aspire to be a part of the country’s workforce and to be financially independent. At the same time, 90 percent of these women are also hoping that their future husbands will take paternity leave in order to assist them in child-rearing. The results of a recent poll reveal that 76.9 percent of Japanese women are planning to continue with their employment even after marriage. Meanwhile, 11.4 percent of the respondents opted to be housewives. The survey covers female university students who graduated last March 2019 and had already landed jobs in different commercial establishments.
A total of 61.9 percent of women employees who participated in the survey stated that they intend to have children in the future. The average age preferred by these female workers to bear their first child is around 29 years old. On the other hand, 12.8 percent answered that they do not at all have any plans of having children. Apparently, studies show that most female employees in Japan are concerned whether their firms will continuously support their goal to have a healthy work-life balance.
Reference:
Female recruits in Japan want to balance full-time jobs with family, and husbands’ help with kids
Japan’s female employment tops 50% for 1st time in half-century
