Izanau
Beta
  • English
  • 日本語
  • 中文
  • Articles
  • Jobs
  • Companies
  • Candidates
  • About
  • Students
  • 企業向け
  • 企業向け
  • FAQ
  • Work Tips
  • Life Tips
  • Register
  • Log In
日本語 中文
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Life
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Google+

The Rise of Single Women in Japan

Saturday, October 19, 2019

A Detour from Getting Married

life in JapanJobs in JapanWomen In JapanLive in Japanjobs for foreigners in Japansocial life in JapanGender Roles in Japanworking women in Japanmarriage in JapanJapanese economydeclining birth rate in Japanwomen and marriage Japanlow birth rate in Japangender issues in JapanJapanese men and women
The Rise of Single Women in Japan

Modern Japan is facing an unprecedented problem with visible impacts in the society: a noticeable decline in the number of people getting married. The government is scratching its head trying to find answers and solutions to the problem. What has caused the tides to change in Japanese women's perspective on marriage?

Women are relishing their new found financial and psychological freedom

An unprecedented amount of female enrollment in higher education and participation in the workforce is believed to be a major reason for the trend of women prolonging or avoiding marriage as they are starting to establish their places in the labor force. A record-high number of 71.3% of women between 15 and 64 were employed in 2018. After the implementation of Equal Employment Opportunity Act in 1986, women have been engaged in part time or full time work and more of them are choosing to devote their time to their careers and climb professional ranks to rise to managerial positions despite persisting social challenges. Only 20% of women wished to become housewives in 2010, compared to 34% in 1987*, according to a government survey. As women gradually become more financially independent there was less of a need to find a partner purely for financial reasons.

Along with women’s newly found financial independence, there is also a shift in their mindset, which is contrary to the image of Japanese wives and mothers who fulfil traditional social expectations of housekeeping, childrearing and caregiving for the elderly. More Japanese women nowadays defy long standing social norms of domestic responsibilities by choosing to remain single and place their personal priorities as the focus of their lives. Similar to their Western sisters, more unmarried Japanese women choose to allocate their time, energy and passion differently by pursuing their personal hobbies, interests, such as sports, cooking, dancing, etc. as well as domestic and international traveling. 

Not surprisingly, in response to a larger demographic of single Japanese women, services and products that appeal to and are catered to women are also on the rise in Japan. In recent years, barriers for single women to seek joy by themselves as singles have been lowered, from the emergence of karaoke bars with separate rooms, restaurants for single eaters, various beauty services for female groups to female-only capsule hotels. All of these facilities have given women a broader outlet to pursue their single lifestyle. Representing oneself and enjoying life as a single is becoming a more commonly seen and in addition to being more socially acceptable. 

women and childcare Japan

Is marriage totally out of the question?

Many women shun away from the idea of getting married as it can potentially be equivalent to giving up their freedom in which they can fulfill their personal wants and becoming tied down to domestic responsibilities that they are expected to fulfill for a lifetime. While women have made notable progress in establishing themselves in the workforce and seeking their new personal identities compared to previous generations, deep-seated social expectations of women to bear domestic responsibilities still linger. Women are resorting to a single life and delaying the question of marriage, until the concern about marriage resurfaces again as they past the prime working age and have to consider their financial situation and their health in the long-term future. They start to evaluate the merits and drawbacks of marriage regarding partners supporting each other and providing stability to each other.

As women are still extremely likely have to give up their jobs after they get married in Japanese society, the financial well-being of themselves and the whole family will depend on the man to be a sole breadwinner. Bearing this likelihood in mind, many insist on finding partners with significantly higher income than their own, which can be difficult to find in the context of a stagnant Japanese economy. Undoubtedly, the mismatch between the number of available single men with high income in the dating pool and the number of women seeking these select men has also contributed to making the quest for marriage tougher for both genders. The idea of juggling between becoming a mother while retaining and advancing one’s career is a headache-inducing enigma for Japanese women with the lack of society-wide support system. 

On a macro scale, policies regarding labor distribution and social welfare endorsed by the current government still reflect a wide gap in gender equality that Japan has yet to catch up with the world. With an insufficient welfare system for childcare and elder-care, women are still expected to play a considerable role to assume the responsibilities and bear these social costs with little support from society or government services. Womenomics, a set of policies aiming to advocate female full-time participation in the workplace by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has been able to fully release female potential in the workforce as long as the workplace culture is still in favor of male employees over female counterparts. 

It is evident that in order to spur women’s interest in getting married, social and cultural norms need to shift towards being more open and accepting to female participation in the workplace. There also needs to be a change in labor policies and corporate culture that advocate for gender equality and childcare support, which can ensure that both men and women can balance their work and family life. A systematic restructure in both the mindset and in legislation is crucial to generate a more rapid change in the face of the society. 

*National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Dai 14 kai shussei dōkō kihon chōsa (kekkon to shussan ni kansuru zenkoku chōsa) (The Fourteenth Japanese National Fertility Survey: Attitudes toward Marriage and Family among Japanese Singles) (2010).




----------------------------------------------

Want to work in Japan?

Sign up here to connect directly with Japanese companies. 

Or check out our latest job postings here.



  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Google+
About the Author
Ha Luu

Economics student based in Tokyo. Focused in writing about socioeconomic issues in modern Japan.

  • Latest Jobs
P/T NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHER NEEDED in OSAKA
Echolingual
teaching English to both children and adults
Osaka 大阪市平野区
Full-time
Apply Now
Day Care/After School English Teacher in Kyoto
Education, Training
Yaruki Switch Group is currently looking for enthusiastic & passionate teachers to join our Kids Duo schools in Kyoto!
Monthly Salary ¥250K ~ ¥270K
Kyoto Kyoto-city
Full-time
Apply Now
Day Care/After School English Teacher in Aichi
Education, Training
Yaruki Switch Group is currently looking for enthusiastic & passionate teachers to join our Kids Duo schools in Aichi!
Monthly Salary ¥250K ~ ¥270K
Japan Aichi
Full-time
Apply Now
Latest Articles
  • Monday, February 14, 2022
  • How to Buy a House in Japan

  • Monday, October 26, 2020
  • Labor Shortages in Japan (July 2020 Statistics)

  • Friday, October 16, 2020
  • What Might Japan’s Energy Future Look Like?

  • Thursday, October 8, 2020
  • Jobs in Japan During a Global Pandemic

  • Sunday, September 6, 2020
  • Discrimination and Stigma in Japanese Society: The Case of COVID-19

  • Tuesday, August 4, 2020
  • Racism Denial: The Case of Japan

  • Friday, July 17, 2020
  • Labor Shortages in Japan (May 2020 Statistics)

  • Tuesday, June 23, 2020
  • Homelessness, Social Stigma, and Fringes of Japanese Society

  • Monday, June 8, 2020
  • Gambling, Pachinko and the Impact of the COVID-19

  • Friday, June 5, 2020
  • Government Support for International Students and Foreigners Living in Japan During the Coronavirus

  • Monday, May 18, 2020
  • COVID-19 and University Life in Japan

  • Saturday, May 9, 2020
  • How to Apply for the ¥100,000 Coronavirus Government Support Money

  • Wednesday, May 6, 2020
  • To Those Who Have Lost Their Jobs Because of the State of Emergency In Japan

  • Wednesday, April 29, 2020
  • What is it like being LGBT in Japan?

  • Friday, April 24, 2020
  • ¥100,000 Japanese Government Support Money. Do you qualify?

  • Thursday, April 23, 2020
  • Visas and Government Support for Foreigners During the Coronavirus in Japan

  • Thursday, April 16, 2020
  • Why Can’t Japan Work From Home?

  • Friday, April 3, 2020
  • Japan Coronavirus Information Site List by Prefecture (Phone Consultations Available)

  • Monday, March 30, 2020
  • Job Search Support for International Students in Japan

  • Tuesday, March 24, 2020
  • The Coronavirus and the Olympics

  • Thursday, March 12, 2020
  • What to do during Volcanic Eruptions in Japan

  • Wednesday, March 4, 2020
  • Qualifying for the Highly Skilled Foreign Professional Visa Schedule (1) in Japan

  • Thursday, February 27, 2020
  • What to do when you miss the last train home in Japan

  • Friday, February 21, 2020
  • Viral and Vulnerable: Japan and the Coronavirus

  • Tuesday, February 18, 2020
  • Japan’s Future: Will they embrace their hāfu population?

  • Wednesday, February 12, 2020
  • Jobs with Labor Shortages in Japan, Ranked (2019) January 2020 Update

  • Thursday, February 6, 2020
  • Hāfu: What it means to Japanese in a Changing Japan

  • Saturday, November 30, 2019
  • A Beginner’s Guide to the Labyrinth of Dating Apps in Japan

  • Thursday, November 21, 2019
  • Racing with Marriage - A Peculiar Trend of Modern Japan

  • Friday, November 1, 2019
  • Cost of living in Japan: Housing

See All Articles

Work in Japan, Enjoy Japan

Finding a job abroad may seem challenging, but Izanau is here to make the process simple. Register now and you're one step closer to enjoying your new life in Japan.
Register your account

Jobs In Japan Made Simple
About Izanau
  • Contact Us
SiteMap
  • Articles
  • Jobs
  • Companies
  • Candidates
Terms of Use
  • For Candidates
  • For Corporations
Privacy
  • Privacy Policy
IZANAUパートナープログラム
  • 紹介会社様はこちら
IZANAUパートナープログラム
  • 外国人材を紹介したい方はこちら
Sign Up
  • For Candidates
  • For Corporations
Language
  • English
  • 日本語
  • 中文
Follow Us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Izanau. Copyright TUNE Inc.