It's so strange that many Japanese companies don't allow career-minded women to take leave from work, even if only for a few years.

Wednesday 14th May, 03:23 AM JST

Natsuko Fujimoto, 32, who says she wept for days after she quit her job at a major Tokyo-based telecommunications company to have her first child in 2004. (Jiji)

14 Comments

borscht at 07:43 AM JST - 14th May

It's not strange. It's against Japanese labor law. But if people don't complain and the government doesn't enforce it, nothing will change.
Speed at 07:55 AM JST - 14th May

With Japan's impending labor shortage in the coming decades, it'll be in Japan Inc.'s best interest to fund maternity leave. Not only will this encourage career women to have kids, but also retain experienced employees. This is so common sense that it's amazing that the government hasn't mobilized policy in this direction, yet.
Taka313 at 08:21 AM JST - 14th May

I'm all for maternity leave but "a few years?" That's an awfully long time to ask your co-workers to pick up your slack because of your family. I don't think I would be in favor of that. A few months, yes. But with rapidly changing technology, a few years of maternity vacation equals a few years, plus, a few more months to re-train that person to do their job, which may require more than one person's time. I'm having a hard time seeing the positives of allowing someone a "few years" off for maternity leave.

Taka

Taka
LFRAgain at 09:51 AM JST - 14th May

I’m still on the fence with this one, but I’m leaning towards the career woman who wants to have a family and work.

On the one hand, I can certainly understand how asking for a nebulous “few years” off to raise a family can make any company manager balk. As Taka pointed out, a few years is a long time in any business setting. On the other hand, however, there’s something to be said for retaining staff with experience, and no amount of training for newbies can replace the power of pure, simple experience. If I had a valued employee who wanted to take time out for family care, then yeah, I’d give it to ‘em. Also, it says a lot that s/he doesn’t want to just up and quit. Company loyalty is also a virtue to be rewarded with reciprocal loyalty to the staff. From a more cynical standpoint, the new mouth to feed sort of cinches the deal that they’ll take the job as seriously as they did before they left, if not more so.

Bringing them up to speed after they come back is also a worthwhile investment, and perhaps, as a way to mitigate the costs, employers could require mothers or fathers taking family leave to remain “in training” for the duration of their leave, reading trade journals at home and keeping abreast of developments in their field, knowledge which would be tested in weekly or monthly exams or homework via the internet. The old models no longer work and a new template is needed if Japan (and other industrialized nations) is going to overcome the challenges of a steadily dropping birthrate and a graying society.
Alphaape at 11:57 AM JST - 14th May

I can see a few months off, and maybe flexible working hours if the job allows it. But not to be a "spoil sport" but as a man, what if I wanted to take a few months off to help wife and child. Should that be allowed?

I agree with borscht's comments, if there is a provision in the law all ready, then they should use it and if a company does not follow the law, then they should be sued in court. I am not talking about one of those American suits that are just after a money grab, but for the purpose of making sure companies obey the labor laws.
borscht at 01:33 PM JST - 14th May

as a man, what if I wanted to take a few months off to help wife and child. Should that be allowed?

Not only is it allowed but it's also a law. I can't think of one male Japanese person who has ever taken a year off for paternity leave, but it's available.

Taka, No one is 'taking up the slack' when someone goes on maternity or paternity leave. The company hires (or should) a temporary, part-time worker on the condition that when the employee returns, they lose their job. Don't worry, no one has to work hard.

But I, too, was wondering about that 'a few years'. Maternity leave is one year so maybe she was talking about having two kids. Or three, which would be in the interest of all companies.
KyouNoNippon at 02:42 PM JST - 14th May

1 year max. What is this 3 years nonsense.
Hughgarse at 03:05 PM JST - 14th May

a "few years"?? no, I wouldnt be in favour of that either.. usually its 6months to a year isn`t it?
Taka313 at 04:56 PM JST - 14th May

Borscht, Key word: should.

Perhaps things work differently in the non-govt. world but my experience with working for the U.S. govt. is that the norm is for everyone else to pick up the slack and the exception is for a temp to be hired.

Taka
capone at 05:35 PM JST - 14th May

yeah, its so strange that women in japan are treated like 3rd-class citizens
Blue_Tiger at 06:39 PM JST - 14th May

I know this: my sister-in-law left her executive job to have four children, and she has never looked back. I do agree that J-Companies should encourage women to have families, and help them by opffering day-care facilities to help out with very young children. Japan needs to get up to speed in that area. If she can offer baby hatches for irresponsible parents to cast away "unwanted" children, surely her industries can offer day-care of some sort to help career-minded Moms with children who are too young for a kindergarten...
Alphaape at 06:48 PM JST - 14th May

Blue Tiger, good points. I have all ways thought of Japan as "moving slow in the fast lane" on various issues.

With the article a few weeks ago as to what can be done to increase the birthrate in Japan; it would heed the J-gov to heed the advice and start making it easier. If one of the major companies here would just take these little steps, I am sure that the following will happen: 1) worker satisfaction will increase as well as productivity 2)probably get better loyalty to the company

I am not too informed on the benefits of private sector Japan, but if I would imagine if the company wanted to compete for quality workers without having to resort to just throwing cash at them (that is nice don't get me wrong) but would throw in benefits like maternity leave without fear of loosing their job, flex hours if the work allows it, you would probably get a more stable employee and create better conditions for people trying to raise a family. All it would take is one major company to make that first step. I know I am being a bit too idealistic but it wouldn't hurt if they tried.
medievaltimes at 08:18 AM JST - 19th May

Women are treated badly in Japan.
Zen_Builder at 08:50 AM JST - 19th May

Japan has rules and laws for Maternity leave. What usually happens when the Mother comes back she will be assigned a new job as her previous position has been filled already. Pretty common in the West too.

The one baby-hatch is a PRIVATE run one by a Catholic Hospital, Japanese Goverment is not involved at all.

Recently (one or two years back) a law was passed that companies over a certain size NEED to provide either Child Care Facilites at the Company or offer assistance(financial/flex-hours/etc) for getting the kids into creches.

Things are changing slowly. Said that most creches close between 18:0~20:00 and are often not located close to home or work for a family. Thus can make it tough to fetch/drop the kid on time.

I understand 6mths~1yr Maternity leave. The 3yrs I think is because they want their little ones in a private run kinder-garten which only accept kids from age 3 onwards.

Goverment run creches (and some private ones) do take kids from age 0 but there are few openings. Our son had to go for a while to a private creche till there was an opening at a goverment run-one.

HTH.