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Family Change in an Aging Society with Low Fertility

Micro Data Approach

TANAKA Sigeto <http://www.sal.tohoku.ac.jp/~tsigeto/qfam/>
(Global COE Program 2008-2012)

Project Outline

A research project for the Global COE Program “Gender Equality and Multicultural Conviviality in the Age of Globalization” (2008-2012) by Graduate School of Law, Tohoku University.

This project aims to contribute to the planning and evaluation of policies by interpreting family changes in current Japanese society through a scientific approach with quantitative analysis based on micro data. In contemporary society, while the family is the explicit target of some policies, it gives implicit conditions for policies in various fields where systems are designed based on the unit of household. However, quantitative research on family has centered on grasping the reality of family based on sociological theories without consideration for law and policy. This project takes an interdisciplinary approach to the policy issues regarding research topics of this GCOE program: namely, gender equality, the aging society with low fertility, and multicultural conviviality. We will conduct our research through close cooperation between researchers specializing in law/social policy and those specializing in sociology. Research topics may include: (1) dysfunction of systems assuming a standard lifestyle in spite of diversifying family lives; (2) inequality and family structure; (3) economic dependence and sexual division of labor; (4) the generation mechanism of domestic violence and abuse; (5) the kin support network; and (6) dynamism of normative consciousness regarding family patterns and functions.

The main source of micro data is the National Family Research of Japan (NFRJ), a series of large-scale surveys based on probability samples across Japan offered by Japan Society of Family Sociology. The surveys were conducted in fiscal 1998, fiscal 2001, fiscal 2003, and fiscal 2008. Data are available through SSJ Data Archive of the Institute of Social Science at the University of Tokyo.

Key Questions

Is the modern family system adaptive to the age of diversity?
How is the family related to inequality, subordination, poverty, and violence?

Schedule

FY2008-2009

Preparation (literature review, theme setting, preliminary analysis using public-opened datasets, translations of materials, and so on)

FY2010-2011

Quantitative analysis by the initiative of each member. Meetings will be periodically held for discussion among members. Result will be published as presentation at conferences, Discussion Paper, E-print on repositories, and journal papers.

FY2012

Publication of the research results as a book.

Meetings and Oral Presentations

2011-02-16: “The Family, Marriage, and Gender Inequality: quantitative analysis of economic situation after divorce” (Tanaka Sigeto, Tohoku University). 23rd GCOE Monthly Seminar (Tohoku University, Sendai)
2010-10-17: Workshop 09:30-12:30 “Family Change in Quantitative Perspective: Inequality, Consciousness, and Lifecourse in Recent Japan” (part of Hagi Seminar by the GCOE Program) at Tohoku University, Katahira Campus
2010-07-03..04: “Implications from the National Family Research of Japan” (Tokyo Metropolitan University Akihabara Satellite Campus, Tokyo)
2009-09-09: “The Micro-Macro Linkage for Distributive Justice: Women’s Economic Disadvantage as an Illustrative Case” (Tanaka Sigeto, Tohoku University). 11th GCOE Monthly Seminar (Tohoku University, Sendai)
2009-08-04: “Family Creating Inequality: A Quantitative Analysis of Gender Gap in Post-Divorce Life” (Tanaka Sigeto, Tohoku University). Presentation at International Seminar “Gender Equality in Multicultural Societies: Gender, Diversity and Conviviality in the Age of Globalization” Session 2 (Tohoku University, Sendai)
2008-11-25: Lecture 14:00-16:00 “Lawyer’s career development and gender differences in family roles” (Nakamura Mayumi, Ochanomizu University) at Tohoku University, Katahira Campus
2008-10-26: Lecture 14:40-16:00 “Aging, low fertility and family-social policies: a comparison between Italy and Japan” (Tabuchi Rokuro, Associate Professor of Sophia University) at the University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus

Papers

Full-text PDF files are available from the following hyperlinks.

SHIMA Naoko (2012) “The Effect of Wives’ Contributions to Family Income on Husbands’ Gender role Attitudes: Analyzing Data of the National Family Research of Japan 2003 and 2008”. GEMC Journal. Vol. 6 pp. 104–117.
SUZUKI Fumiko (2011) “Analysis of the Balance of Intention to Support Parents and Parents-in-law: A Study of Intergenerational Support as Seen from Patterns of Support Balance” GEMC Journal. Vol. 4. pp. 106–125.
TANAKA Sigeto (2010) “Zyosei no keizaiteki hurieki to kazoku”. eds= Tsujimura M. + Osawa M.. Zynd byoudou to tabunka kyousei. Tohoku University Press. Chapter 5 (pp. 99–118).
TANAKA Sigeto (2010) “The family and women’s economic disadvantage”. eds= Tsujimura M. + Osawa M.. Gender equality in multicultural societies. Tohoku University Press. Chapter 11 (pp. 215–234).
KIM Jung-Nim (2010) “A Study of the Social Status and Health States”. GEMC Journal. Vol. 3. pp. 34–49.
SHI Liping (2010) “Continuities and changes in parent-child relationships and kinship in postwar Japan”. GEMC Journal. Vol. 2. pp. 48–67.

Book

ed.= TANAKA Sigeto. 2013. A Quantitative Picture of Contemporary Japanese Families: Tradition and Modernity in the 21st Century. Tohoku University Press. {ISBN:978-4-86163-226-6}

See: http://www.sal.tohoku.ac.jp/~tsigeto/qfam/book/

Tohoku University / Faculty of Arts and Letters / Applied Japanese Linguistics / TANAKA Sigeto / GELAPOC

Address: http://www.sal.tohoku.ac.jp/~tsigeto/office.html

History of this page:

2008-12-18:Created
2008-12-18:Updated
2009-02-01:Updated
2010-04-30:Updated
2010-07-31:Updated
2010-09-27:Updated
2011-01-19:Updated
2011-02-01:Updated
2012-10-04:Updated
2013-03-16:Updated
2013-06-08:Updated