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Japan is trying to get more workers to take parental leave to boost birthrates. But recent comments by Prime Minister Kishida Fumio show that old attitudes towards taking a “break” from work die hard.
Kishida: I’m a parent – just like you!
Kishida made the remarks during a plenary session of Japan’s Diet in response to a question from fellow Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker Oie Satoshi about reskilling Japan’s workforce. Kishida said: “As part of fundamentally strengthening our support of reskilling, we want to support people who are relearning things, whether they’re on parental leave or whatever their situation.”
The comments drew immediate backlash online. In a popular tweet, Twitter user @mihyonsong wryly said:
“If you’re seriously raising your kids during parental leave, that is, in itself, a huge learning experience.”
Another Twitter user, @pokoblog01, brought up another obstacle: even if mothers reskill, some businesses in Japan don’t want to hire women with children.
“A mom who reskilled while she was on maternity leave will probably get asked during an interview. ’35, huh…are you married?’ ‘Ahh, you have kids? How old?’ ‘Who’s gonna take care of them when they catch cold? Is your family home close by?’”
In a subsequent tweet, @pokoblog01 posted, “true story”.
In response to the backlash, Kishida and other members of the LDP ran to clarify his statement. Motegi Toshimitsu, the LDP’s Secretary-General, said, “We’re not ordering people to work [during parental leave]. It’s critical we create a system where child-rearing isn’t detrimental to one’s career.”
In follow-up remarks, Kishida said, “What I meant was that we want, if someone so desires to pursue it, to create a better environment for reskilling for people at various life stages. I’ve got three kids. I’ve seen and experienced how hard child-rearing can be on your wallet, your time, and your mental health. It’s because I recognize the important of the post-birth and parental leave periods that I want to expand our parental care system, and attack the population problem from a different angle.”
Childcare in Japan: A lopsided responsibility
Japan has struggled for decades to increase birthrates and reverse its steady population decline. Kishida has spoken often about taking a “different angle” on the problem by creating systems that support having and raising children.
Both Kishida and some local governments have floated the idea of cash payments to parents. Others have suggested Japan needs to relax its strict immigration policies until the birthrate increases.
But many parents say there are other obstacles to raising kids in Japan besides the clear economic ones. In particular, mothers in Japan complain that the burden of childcare disproportionately falls on them. According to statistics, Japan has the worst imbalance among developed countries between men and women with home duties, with women doing 25 hours a week of housework and childcare compared to 5 hours a week for men.
Historically, Japanese companies have discouraged men from taking paternity leave. Some men say their workplaces have retaliated against them for taking time off, even going so far as to transferring their jobs to different parts of the country.
What to read next
Furariimen: The Japanese Men Who Avoid Returning Home from Work
Sources
子育て「私も経験した」 岸田首相、育休中リスキリング発言を釈明. Asahi Shimbun
岸田首相の「育休中リスキリング」炎上発言、一部で擁護も 「質疑見たら印象変わった」「大家議員の認識のズレの問題」. JCast News
茂木氏「仕事しろと言っていない」 「育休中のリスキリング」答弁巡り. Mainichi Shimbun
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