Reconciling work and family: Issues and policies in Japan (2003), Conditions of Work and Employment Series No. 5, by M. Abe, C. Hamamoto and S. Tanaka
The ILO's Conditions of Work and Employment Programme seeks to promote decent conditions of employment on the basis of international labour standards and the analysis of the policy experience in its member States. One of the key aspects of working conditions which this Programme addresses is the reconciliation of work and family life. On the one hand, how can working conditions be adapted to facilitate workers' ability to fulfill their family responsibilities; and, on the other hand, how can the family responsibilities of men and women be lightened or made less incompatible with employment so that they are not a source of discrimination in the labour market? Based in part on the recognition that the problems of workers with family responsibilities are part of wider issues regarding family and society and that family responsibilities can be a source of discrimination in employment, the International Labour Conference adopted a Convention on Workers with Family Responsibilities (No. 156) in 1981. The core of this Convention stipulates that the aim of national policies should be to enable persons with family responsibilities, who are engaged or wish to engage in employment, to exercise their right without being subject to discrimination and, to the extent possible, without conflict between their employment and their family responsibilities. The accompanying Recommendation on Workers with Family Responsibilities, 1981 (No. 165), provides guidance on how work-family issues can be addressed. In addition, it is important to examine how different countries actually experience and address work-family conflicts. What are countries doing to reduce conflicts between work and family? How are these measures compatible with increasing productivity in the face of global competition? What are the factors which exacerbate or reduce this conflict?

Although a considerable and growing literature exists on the nature of work-family conflicts and how they are being addressed in western industrialized countries, little is available on the experiences in other countries. As valuable lessons can be learned by examining different experiences, this paper presents the example of an Asian country: Japan. Although an industrialized country, Japan provides a very different cultural context, as reflected in its values and traditions with respect to both family and work. The paper provides considerable data tracing recent trends in the life cycle of Japanese families as well as trends related to the economy and work. It reviews recent policies concerning work and family life and, in particular, shows that legal provisions supporting work-family reconciliation are actually utilized by few workers. This is explained by social and economic constraints, such as long working hours and wage inequalities. Based on an analysis of facts and trends, the paper suggests priorities for the future.