Fathers on Leave Alone in Japan: The Lived Experiences of the Pioneers

Abstract

Despite the statutory implementation of parental leave in Japan for fathers and mothers in 1992 and the subsequent amendments that were, at least in part, aimed at increasing fathers’ take-up, during 2012–2013 only 2.03 % of all male employees whose spouses gave birth in the previous year have actually taken parental leave. While this is much lower than that in most European countries, the rate in 2013 is four times more than in 2005 and the proportion of fathers who took leave for one month or longer has also increased. During this period, there have been some important changes in the parental leave scheme. Under the new scheme, working parents are entitled to take leave and benefits even if their spouses are not working or on leave; and they get two bonus months of leave after their child becomes a year old if both parents take leave. Using interviews with six fathers who took parental leave alone, this chapter shows that, among a range of factors that facilitated taking parental leave, what all fathers had in common was a flexible attitude to gender roles and respect for their partner’s career. The mothers’ attitudes to gender roles and fathers’ leave-taking also helped them make a decision that is uncommon in Japan. Analysis suggests that the new Japanese parental leave scheme, which includes incentives to enhance take-up by fathers is an important societal development.