This book describes how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way of work the division of
household labor and family formation in Japan. One of the characteristics of Japanese
employment practices is a stable employer-employment relationship and seniority-based wage
system. In return long working hours especially for men who are called salarymen (salaried
workers or company men) are required. The pandemic has led to an expansion of telework and
has reduced their working hours which has made them return to their homes to work. In contrast
non-regular employees who are mostly women has become more unstable in employment and their
incomes fell. This tendency has become even stronger under the pandemic. Compared with
conditions in Western countries in Japan wives have a greater responsibility for domestic
chores. In the pandemic as children's classes shifted to online and childcare support
facilities were temporarily closed the burden of housework and child-rearing increased for
wives. However husbands who worked from home shared a part of the housework and popular home
delivery services helped to reduce the burdens on wives. Japan is one of the developed
countries with low fertility rates. Under the pandemic many Japanese postponed starting a
family which further shrank the country's birthrate. There was a remarkably significant
tendency to postpone having children among economically disadvantaged and socially isolated
families.This book provides a portrait of Japan's experience regarding the notable impacts of
the pandemic on work and family life.
