A record 1 percent of central government male workers engaged in clerical work took paternity leave after their wives gave birth in fiscal 2005, up 0.1 point from a year earlier, according to the National Personnel Authority.
The number who took child-care leave also reached a record high of 130 among 13,308 workers covered, up eight from a year before, it said.
The ratio for females fell 0.1 point to 92.4 percent, with 4,695 taking maternity leave out of 5,082 who had babies during the reporting year.
Even though the ratio of male leave takers remains low, "their awareness may be changing little by little," the authority said.
The average length of leave was 12 months, up 0.7 month from a year earlier.
See related links:
'Chauvinist' group seeks spousal bliss
How do you or your husband rank?