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Childcare Strategies of Double-income Families Living in Central Tokyo
KUKIMOTO MikotoPost Doctoral Research Fellow
KOIZUMI RyoNISHIYAMA Hiroyasu
KUBO TomokoKAWAGUCHI Taro
Contents
- Urban structure in Japan; long commutes- “Constraints” for working mothers;
responsibilities of work and home
- Since the 1990s , increased supply of condominiums for young families in central Tokyo
- “Family gentrifiers” / dual income families living in central Tokyo
- Elimination of working mothers’ “Constraints”?
Background of Study
Purpose of This Study
(1) The childcare strategies of dual-income families in central Tokyo
(2) Problems posed by the deregulation of childcare services
Increased need for nursery centers
Japan’s recession and employment uncertainty
The implementation of the equal employment law
Bubble economy burst
- Shortage of public/authorized nursery centers - 26,275 children on entry waiting lists(2010) - metropolitan areas and their suburbs
Tokyo’s 23 wards
- Deregulation of childcare services - Public nurseries: main part of Japan’s childcare system -> Entry regulations for management of public nursery centers were relaxed in 2000 - The number of private nurseries has increased
privatenursery centers
Population growth and the supply of condominiums in central Tokyo
9
Tokyo’s 23 wards
Central 3 wards
Central 5 wards
Central 15 wards
bubble economy burst
Property values in central Tokyo
dropped
population
condominiums 2000
1996
“3LDK” condominiums ->Water-front area
102006
1994
1999: 3,128 households 6,904 population↓ 2009: 9,076 households 20,324 population
11
Shortage of public nurseries - more than 90 children waiting to enter the authorized nursery centers
- Many “3LDK” condominiums- Wide, flat sidewalks
Basic attributes of Respondents- nuclear families with one or two children: 91.7%- High income levels 20% : 7-10 million yen/a year, 68%: 10- million yen/a year Cf. Japan’s average: 7,320,000 yen- Large company, white collar, fulltime job 54.7% of wives: over 500 employees
Childcare strategies of dual income families in central Tokyo
What is “Childcare Strategy”?- Strategy to keep working fulltime while taking responsibility for child rearing and housework- Their goal is to use public nursery centers
• Working style: short commutes - Workplaces are close to their homes - Emigrating from suburban areas: “convenience of commuting”
60 minutes to commute, crowded train
before moving into Toyosu
Workplace of husbands and wivesRed: wives, blue: husbands
Toyosu
30 minutes or less to commute
Central 3 wards
• Companies’ support- Wives use shorter work system and go home
early: 70% of wives get home before 8:00pm- 20% women can use, and 3/12 women
used workplace nurseries
• Little Support by family/parents - Little childcare support from their parents: 40-50% of
respondents’ parents live outside Tokyo metropolitan area - Most husbands cannot help <- long work hours -> Taking children to nursery/ picking them up: mainly wives - wives: 114(67.1%), wives or husbands: 49(28.8%)
Time to go home
wiveshusbands
Shortage of public nurseries and frequent use of private nurseries
- 60% of total families had waited or were waiting to have their children enter the nursery center of their choice
- 80% of answerers used or use private nursery centers
Private nurseries(subsidized by local governments) : 41%
Private nursery centers without subsidies: 39%
Wives: 11%
Parents: 6% Others: 3%
- Less grandparents’ support- Another reason
Priority of entrance to authorized nursery centers in Koto ward
- Parents’ disability or illness- Receiving public assistance, single-parent families- Families using private nursery centers for fee…etc.
Those who use private nursery centers have an advantage
Using private nurseries while waiting= important strategy to ensure they get a spot
in an public nursery centers
ID Childcare service while waiting
Fee(1.000 JPY/a month)
Income(million JPY
/ a year)
Childcare leave
(month)
21 Non-authorized(company’s support) free 20 2
33 Non-authorized(company’s support) free 10-15 12
41 Certified 1, Certified 2 65, 45 10-15 -
72 Non-authorized, Certified 80, 70 10-15 14
130 Non-authorized 1Non-authorized 2
14080 10-15 6
164 Non-authorized(company’s support) 52 15-20 7
171 Non-authorized 110 10-15 12
176 Non-authorizedcertified
6060 15-20 12
196 Non-authorized 1Non-authorized 2
8060 15-20 10
Expensive fee
High Income
Shortening Childcare leave
• Class disparity of childcare opportunities in ToyosuUse of private nursery - Middle class: 35.7% - upper class: 52.9 - upper high class: 47.1
Longer waiting termMiddle
class
Waiting period
- Shortage -> competitive to enter the public nursery- Getting priority by using private nursery
- Short commutes<- living in Toyosu- Shorter work days
Conclusion 1
- Very little
- Shorter work system- Workplace nursery
Suburb area- Long commutes- Shortage of childcare services- Fewer private services- Fewer job opportunities
Central area- Condominiums supply- Short commutes- Many private services- Many job opportunities
Class disparity of childcare opportunities
Balance work and home
Conclusion 2Gentrification in Tokyo -> attractive for young families
- Shortage of childcare services- Deregulation of childcare services
Thank you for your attention!
Appendix
Childcare Services in Japan (1) Public/authorized nursery centers : welfare- Fulltime; 8 hours at least- With meal(lunch) service
(2) Kindergarten: education- Only in the morning- No meal(lunch) service
Clearly separated
For children with mothers working fulltime
For children with mothers not working fulltime
Increased need for nursery centers
others
kindergartens
nursery centers(authorized)
-Increased number of double-income families or mothers working fulltime
The number of children in each type of care (2008)
0 year-old 1-2 3 and over
Unit: 1,000
Children in nursery centers2,022(30.7%)
Children in kindergartens1,630(24.8%)
Children in others(ex: homes)2,932(44.5%)
180 in non-authorized nursery centers
Childcare for preschool children in Japan
education
welfare
For children with mothers not
working fulltime
For children with mothers
working fulltime
32
- Most answered that they wanted to ensure that their children could enter the authorized nursery centers in the future
- The younger the children, the harder the competition; especially 1-2 year old most competitive
If I have to wait so long, I’m afraid I will never go back to
work…
Authorized nursery centers… - low fee; the highest is around 60-70 thousand JPY. - reduction of fee for brothers/sisters - large facility, many children
The supply of “3LDK” condominiums, 1995-2009
Number of supply
Tokyo’s 23 wards
Water-front area
Large lots<- old factory sites
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