Izanau
Beta
  • English
  • 日本語
  • Articles
  • Jobs
  • About
  • Students
  • FAQ
  • Work Tips
  • Life Tips
  • Register
  • Log In
日本語
  • 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
Indie Game PR Consultant
Gaming
The company is looking for a PR Consultant to develop and execute PR strategies for indie games targeting international markets. This role involves managing multiple clients and game titles simultaneously, providing an e...
Monthly Salary ¥250K ~ ¥300K
Osaka Hommachi
Full-time
Apply Now
Japanese Gaming - Digital Content Creator
Gaming
Join a leading gaming company bridging Japan and the world! With PLAYISM (Japan’s top indie publisher) and AUTOMATON (Japan’s biggest PC gaming media), plus BtoB services like localization, LQA, and PR, they’re shaping t...
Monthly Salary ¥130K ~
Osaka Hommachi
Part-time
Apply Now
Houdini Artist
Other Media, Entertainment
Unleash your creativity as a Houdini Artist! Craft stunning effects—fire, water, explosions—for games and videos, or bring characters to life with CFX simulations (hair, fur, cloth, muscle). Push the boundaries of visual...
Yearly Salary ¥4.5M ~ ¥7.5M
Tokyo Toshima-ku
Full-time
Apply Now
Latest Articles
  • Tuesday, March 18, 2025
  • How to Hack Conversation in the Japanese Workplace

  • Friday, March 14, 2025
  • Three Essential Skills for Gaining Trust and Respect in the Japanese Workplace

  • Friday, March 7, 2025
  • 20 Years in a Japanese Company

  • Saturday, February 15, 2025
  • Preparing for Your Baby’s Arrival in Japan

  • Thursday, January 23, 2025
  • Buying a Car in Japan

  • Tuesday, January 7, 2025
  • From Hello to Hired: Excelling in Japanese Job Interviews

  • Wednesday, December 25, 2024
  • Tiny Toes, Tiny Costs: Pregnancy in Japan

  • Thursday, December 12, 2024
  • Pregnancy in Japan: A Foreign Mom’s Guide to Your First Prenatal Visit

See All Articles

Jobs In Japan Made Simple
About Izanau
  • Contact Us
SiteMap
  • Articles
  • Jobs
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
Follow Us
  • TikTok
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
有料職業紹介事業許可番号 27-ユ-304078
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Izanau. Copyright Another Discovery Inc.