Commentary / World May 11, 2020
A little predictability could go a long way for working moms
by Kara Alaimo
Knowing what’s ahead can ease the parenting-while-working juggle.
National Aug 23, 2019
Japan's baby food market growing steadily despite low birthrate
Japan' baby food market is on a steady expansion track despite a falling number of children thanks to growing demand from working parents seeking convenient, precooked baby food. Japanese parents generally start to wean their babies when they are 5 or 6 months old, first ...
National Mar 29, 2018
Japan modernizing workplace conditions to lure new mothers back
by Noriko Inoue
With Japan's demographic challenges causing a workforce crunch that is proving difficult for companies to overcome, many are now offering flexible conditions to allow new mothers to return to full-time careers while maintaining their work-family balance. More women, afraid their careers will stagnate while they ...
National Nov 20, 2017
Japan begins to embrace baby-sitting as day care services elude
The demand for baby sitters in Japan is soaring amid a shortage of public day care services for preschool children. "It is very hard to book a good baby sitter. It is a hard-fought battle," said a 33-year-old working mother who has used them for ...
Business Aug 21, 2017
Calbee sees granola boom by pitching to Japanese working women
by Lisa Du and Shoko Oda
Calbee Inc.'s granola snack had been around for 20 years, with no real change to its recipe or sales. Then a female marketing executive turned things around by pitching the cereal as a time-saver for a growing class of consumers just like her: working ...
National / Social Issues Oct 12, 2016
Working mothers in Japan are jettisoning their careers and resorting to contract work amid laws that fail to support shorter hours long term. The child care and family care leave law obliges employers to reduce working hours to six a day in principle for those ...
National Apr 3, 2016
Modern moms can't find stitch in time to make traditional needlework school bags
Every year as cherry blossoms bloom, mothers across Japan toil until late at night to sew fabric bags that nursery and elementary schools require their children to have when starting class in April. Even though many women nowadays continue working after becoming mothers, and sewing ...
National / Social Issues Feb 18, 2016
Some Japanese firms offering easier shifts for mothers with young kids
by Haruko Mera
Chihiro Nishijima's cellphone rang one evening last May when she was away from Tokyo on a business trip. It was from the day care center in Tokyo where her 1-year-old son was. They told her he had developed a fever and they needed her to ...
National Jan 12, 2016
Subsidies going up for day care centers that handle sick children
Government subsidies for day care centers and hospitals specializing in taking care of sick children will rise in April as the Abe administration seeks to increase the female workforce.
National / Social Issues Oct 28, 2015
Working moms spending less time on looks, prioritize children: survey
Japanese working mothers spend less time on personal grooming before going to work than single women so they can care for their children. According to an opinion poll conducted by major watch manufacturer Citizen Holdings Co., working mothers — defined as married women with toddlers ...
National Sep 24, 2015
Laundry firm's flexibility cited as reason why single moms don't quit
by Magdalena Osumi
Since joining the laundering company Kikuya in 1995, Akemi Hirayama says she has never missed a day of work. Hirayama, who works at a Kikuya facility in Matsubushi, Saitama Prefecture, was commended for her 10 years of service with the company this month. When times are ...
Commentary / Japan Dec 23, 2014
South Korea shows the way on 'womenomics'
by William Pesek
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he wants to put more women to work to help make up for the country's shrinking population. Yet, of the 1,093 people who ran for office in recent snap elections, a mere 169 were women. Abe might want to ...