More married women are entering the workforce — even those whose husbands are high earners — apparently because they want to, the labor ministry said Friday.
In the past, the employment rate among married women tended to decline the higher their husbands' incomes were, but in recent years, the rate for households of all income levels has been rising, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry's White Paper on the Labor Economy.
"More women are eager to work not just to financially help their families but on their own will. It will be far more important to balance work, child-rearing and caregiving," a ministry official said.