Some univ. students in Japan want high-income partner so they can become homemakers
"A growing number of female university students in Japan are expressing interest in becoming full-time homemakers after marriage. Although the number of stay-at-home wives has decreased over the years, some young women still believe that focusing on housework and raising children is the best path for them. One student from Aichi Prefecture shared that she hopes to marry someone who can financially support the family so she can devote herself to caring for the home and children.
The student, called “Misuzu Watanabe” in the article, is studying social welfare at university. Although she originally considered working in child care or nursing after graduation, she now feels uncertain about balancing work and family life. She plans to work temporarily after graduation for experience, but hopes to stop working once she marries and has children.
According to a survey by Mynavi Corporation, about 9.2 percent of female university and graduate students graduating in 2027 said they would prefer to become full-time homemakers. While the overall number has slowly decreased over time, the percentage slightly increased this year for the first time since 2019.
Watanabe’s personal experiences strongly influenced her views. She was raised by her mother and grandmother after her parents divorced. She remembers how hard her mother worked to support the family while managing household responsibilities. During a child care training program, she also saw how stressful and physically demanding child care work could be. Staff members were constantly busy and often struggled to balance work with their own family responsibilities.
Social media also affected her thinking. Watanabe read online posts from day care workers complaining about difficult parents, low salaries and exhausting workloads. Although she admires meaningful work, these experiences increased her worries about working while raising children. The article highlights the growing concerns many young people feel about balancing career, family and personal well-being.
Edited using generative AI tools.
Source : https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260508/p2a/00m/0na/003000c |
