Shaking up the image of family
Ozaki, M.
Integration 18: 54-61
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0916-0582 PMID: 12342111 Document Number: 358310
Results of the National Opinion Poll on Family jointly conducted by the Mainichi Shimbun and the Nihon University, including 2406 randomly selected respondents in Japan, April 1988, are discussed. With rising trends toward late marriage age, such that 76% of women in their 20s are still unmarried, people were questioned on their opinion of single life. 73% of single women favored single life. Percentage in favor decreased with age and in rural areas, and notably among men of all ages. The percentage of people who thought of divorce was 29% once in a while, 4% often or seriously; 25% by men and 41% by women. Reasons cited for avoiding divorce were children and hectic lives. Caring for elderly parents, traditionally the duty of the eldest son or daughter by housing parents in their own homes, is also changing. Now young people and couples tend to live on their own, then move in with parents when they reach their 40s and parents their 70s. Most often, they move into the parents' house, because of prohibitively expensive housing, buy pay other living expenses themselves. The traditional, symbolic customs of supporting parents, maintaining succession of the family name and the family grave are generally supported by males, but less so by women. It is possible that conservative male views toward marriage, family and traditional values continue to be held because it is more convenient for men. A copy of the questions in the survey is included.