Drop in household income puts strain on many marriages

Friday 03rd July, 06:00 AM JST

TOKYO —

Businesses are curtailing company expenses by cutting back overtime pay, which has impacted the monthly income of salaried workers and changed the after-hour office district atmosphere. Many now head straight for home or go to cheap izakayas under the railroad overpass.

According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, overtime labor hours have decreased by 45.8% and overtime pay by 44.7%. Not only have commuters increased between 5 and 6 p.m., more men are taking their coworkers home instead of bars for drinks – not exactly a welcome change for housewives.

An IT company employee in his 50s comments that he now gets home by dinner with time to spend with his teenage children, and gives advice on their studies to secure a steady income in the future – an effort that backfired. From the family’s perspective, he is meddling in affairs he was never involved in until then, thus creating a rift in the home and feeling alienated.

A housewife, whose husband is in his 50s and works for a paper manufacturer, complains, “The monthly salary’s been cut by half without overtime pay. My husband now comes home early and just lounges around. He nags about the meal but won’t help with the housekeeping. It’s becoming unbearable.”

Atsuko Okano, who specializes in spousal problems, acknowledges the rise in divorce inquiries related to the loss of household income. It’s a tough situation for company employees with a family, but Professor Masahiro Yamada of Chuo University, who specializes in family sociology, argues that the real problem has to do with the lack of interaction between spouses. “It’s time to review the spousal relationship… and find a new way of living.”

Perhaps salaried workers should consider spending more time to communicate with their wives. It may be worth the effort.

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Latest 15 of 38 Total Comments Show All

UnagiDon at 03:05 AM JST - 4th July

sydenhgam (to cleo);

You hit the nail on the head. Most posters here have little knowledge of what average Japanese people actually do all day outside of studying English. You can hardly blame them, though, if their only exposure is their Eikaiwa students, Roppongi, and TV shows that they can't understand.

Bang on. Throw in the Tokyo-centrism and it's even worse.
cleo at 04:53 PM JST - 4th July

This is completely typical of Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba and Tokyo suburbs

In other words, a part of Japan that is not typical of Japan as a whole. As I mentioned before, I know a couple of women who hung up their working shoes permanently the day he slipped the ring on their finger. The majority may take a few years off while the kids are little, but once Junior is in junior high and the school/juku fees start biting, most Mums go back to work. The graph says it - well, graphically.

http://www.miraikan.go.jp/english/statistics/workingwoman_10.html

In the twenties, some 70% to 75% of women are in employment; with marriage and childbirth, this figure drops to the low 60s and then climbs into the 70s again for women in their 40s and 50s.
fatfrenchfool at 02:01 AM JST - 5th July

a part of Japan that is not typical of Japan as a whole.

if we are all using broad statements it's ok then
Betting at 09:34 AM JST - 5th July

"I really wonder where some posters who claim they have lived here a long time actually live. Paddy's chalked up 16 years now, and in my little piece of suburbia there is not one housewife with a job that I know of. Not one. They all have kids, well generally kid, and that's it. They do not return to work, or do anything to add to family income. This is completely typical of Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba and Tokyo suburbs".

You might have been here 16 years (I'm on 15 myself) and what you say might be true in, as you say, "... my piece of suburbia". It is probably true, and I don't doubt you at all. But then you go on to say, "... this is completely typical of Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba and Tokyo suburbs". How do you know this for a fact? You've gone out and done some research to back up these claims? Just talking to the average "Jiro Tanaka" doesn't make for an infallible information source. What he might say or claim might not be true for everyone else.

My own wife's mother and father divorced after he lost his job when he made a major mistake and put the family into major debt. I know, through my own work, of women who have divorced husbands over job loss. And I also work with women who work because their husbands simply don't make enough.

Very often in Japan I get the feeling that "oldtimers" here think they know everything and nothing will convince them otherwise, and no one else's opinions matter.
tkoind2 at 10:05 AM JST - 6th July

Cleo, I don't know what world you live in but in my town there are a lot of stay at home wives. Likewise in our social circle there are a lot of stay at home wives, some with kids already gone off to school.

And Sydenham. I don't teach English and never have. I have a significant corporate job and have been in Japan for ten years. Over those years I have met hundreds of Japanese salarymen with stay at home wives in Tokyo alone. About half of those do not even have kids. So before you make idiotic assertions that everyone who disagrees with you is a short term stay English teacher, you may want to spend a lot more time talking to the working men around you and find out what the average wife is up to.

My main point was, and continues to be, if Joe salaryman pays for everything and supports the household he should have the right to be present in it now that the economy is down and he has time to be there. His nagging wife should be grateful for the hard work and income he provides and should be more patient and understanding or get out and support herself if she is so unhappy with him. And the spoiled kids should be grateful that dad cares enough to try to offer advice and guideance, especially when it may help the child avoid some of the pitfalls dad may have slipped into.

Bottom line. There are a lot of families with working couples. But this article is not about them. This article is about the traditional Japanese family structure and their response to having dad at home a lot more. So these comments are directed to that demographic.
cleo at 10:21 AM JST - 6th July

I don't know what world you live in but in my town there are a lot of stay at home wives.

No doubt there are; and the stay-at-home wives are more likely to be noticed because they're the ones you see in the coffee shops, restaurants and parks. The working wives are hidden away in offices and shops and factories - working. The official figures show that even at the height of the child-rearing years over 60% of women work, and that percentage rises ten points or so when the kids hit junior high.

My main point was, and continues to be, if Joe salaryman pays for everything...

In over 70% of households, he doesn't.

That's not to belittle the very, very large financial input most men make to their families. But while he is going off to the office every morning and coming home in the evening to find his house cleaned, his clothes washed, his kids cared for and his dinner on the table, she's doing all that and juggling at least a part-time job. If he's going to be working shorter hours and bringing less money in, it's only fair that he should be prepared to do his share at home, instead of sitting demanding his dinner and cluttering up the living room.
IchyaWarFare at 02:49 PM JST - 6th July

@cleo-In this diagram :http://www.miraikan.go.jp/english/statistics/workingwoman_10.html

does it state if the women are married, single or divorced? Just asking, that way I can see how your argument stands. Though I do like you last statement. Believe me, I have to put my share of work into the house.

That being said, where I do live in Kanagawa, almost all of the women are stay at home wives and they do not have part time jobs. Some have children, some do not. Most seem irritated that their husbands are home earlier and I can understand that if they are not pitching in. I only know of one woman who does have a part time job but her husband works on base and he is home relatively early compared to the other males that live on my street. So I do have to agree with Paddy and tkoind on some of this, just cause I see it everyday.
cleo at 09:50 AM JST - 7th July

does it state if the women are married, single or divorced?

No it doesn't, and that's a valid point. But the shape of the graph still shows the general overall trend: a high proportion of women of child-bearing age drop out of the work force (presumably to look after the little ones - I do not think this is a Bad Thing) and then go back to work once the kids are taking less of their time and more of their money.

Believe me, I have to put my share of work into the house.

lol. I'm sure you believe you do. I'll believe it when Mrs Ichya says so. :-)
fishy at 02:52 PM JST - 8th July

more than 50% of moms in my son's class (Japanese elementary school) have either a full time job or part time job.. I work full time (and I'm Japanese, have 2 kids), and I always greet my husband at the entrance when he comes home from work.. and I am happy when he is home. I know there are many women who do not want their husbands home but its not just Japanese women. There was one time I told my friend (american woman) I wanted my husband to be home with me on a weekend.. she said I haven't been married long enough lol Anyways... I dont like it when people assume ALL J-women think of their husbands like a burden... because its not true. And more J-couples than you think share house work !!
It's probably true than more J-women quit working when they have babies compared to western women, but being with a small child/baby all day long is actually harder than some of you might think.

THAT.. the husband is a jerk.
fishy at 02:56 PM JST - 8th July

He nags about the meal but won't help the housekeeping. It's becoming unbearable ---

THAT ... the husband is a jerk.
sfjp330 at 03:56 AM JST - 11th July

These changes will actually force men to be more responsible at home. The changes will not happen overnight, but in a long run, this is a positive step in identifying priorties. Some couples that are flexable will make it a better marriage, but most likely, divorce will rise in Japan since most men cannot adjust.
maniacalcupcake at 04:03 AM JST - 11th July

It's amazing how relationship building and communication have become foreign concepts to some people.
illsayit at 05:08 PM JST - 11th July

I think it has to do with fertility acceptance, an understanding that we are not all perfect, all of the time, so if you fart when your hubby arrives home oneday, let's hope you both giggle! and just a slight drop in demands on wants, versus needs. I think the money drops puts strain of recent, but the issues are deep-seeded, and need time and care. A lady-my Japanese 'gas lady'- said to me recently that having babies older than 45, was actually common.
Angelo at 11:49 AM JST - 14th July

"My husband now comes home early and just lounges around. He nags about the meal but won’t help with the housekeeping. It’s becoming unbearable.”

For God's sake. Send this woman to work and then let's see how much she appreciates working at home too after coming home from work. I really dispise complaining spauses who rely on their husbands daily work but stay at home all day washing dishes. Go get a job at Jonathan's, be on equal terms with your husband...then start to share homework...
Angelo at 11:55 AM JST - 14th July

"These changes will actually force men to be more responsible at home. "

Why marry a guy whom you need to force to change? Why women always want to change the guy to their own likeing? We are not a piece of furniture you need to match with the color of the rest of the house.