Regarding the March 1 story “Softening of 'cool' Japanese men not what it seems,” when Japan was enjoying the bubble economy there were so many so-called corporate warriors whose watchword was “Can you work 24 hours straight?” It seems that not only the social security system but also not a few Japanese men’s mindsets are still soaked with this old idea that “women should stay at home and raise their children.”
It is evident that utilizing that female workforce is becoming more and more essential to shore up the Japanese economy, seeing the worsening demographic composition. We should realize that being a corporate warrior, not bothering to help his (usually his, not her) spouse in child-rearing is not a virtue but a vice.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.