More than 1 in 10 working men have experienced "paternity harassment," in which they have been barred from taking child care leave or subjected to harassment for even applying, according to a survey released by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo).

Rengo, the nation's biggest umbrella body for labor unions, polled 1,000 men aged between 20 and 59 on paternity harassment, a relatively new term referring to problems dads face when they try to balance work and family.

The results show a staggering gap between the government's push for a family-friendly working environment and workplace realities, where child-rearing is still widely considered a women's job, Rengo said Thursday.