When it comes to child care in Japan, women typically take on the lion’s share of the workload. Men, by comparison, are generally too exhausted after work to help out in any way.
According to the Asahi Shimbun, however, more men are looking to take paternity leave in order to support their spouses better after they give birth. They also hope to use this time to bond better with their new offspring.
At present, just 3 percent of men take paternity leave after their partners give birth, usually taking as little as five to 10 days, according to a survey compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.