How Japanese gender roles exclude men from gender equality

Japanese women spend seven times as much time doing housework than their male partners. According to a survey last year by Nippon.com, wives spend an average of four and a half hours doing housework during the week, while their husbands do less than one hour. That number is only slightly better on weekends, with husbands contributing just over one hour to housework.

This extreme gap is just one part of gender role expectations in Japan. The same attitudes that dictate that women should be housewives also dictate that men should focus on their careers and supporting their families financially. By far this thinking harms women more, as they face limited job opportunities and obstacles for following certain paths in life.

However, men can be victims of these expectations as well. Not being professionally successful as a man or deciding to follow a less traditional path can affect how people in your life see you.

Another study conducted by Lean in Tokyo for International Men’s Day in 2019 makes this picture clear. The survey was aimed at men. Many respondents were unsatisfied with traditional notions of masculinity and the expectations forced on them. For example, many in their 20s and 30s didn’t like that they were expected to pay more money on dates, while respondents in their 40s and 50s weren’t satisfied with having to work full time until retirement.

Such expectations is one of the reasons men aren’t doing their fair share of housework. Even men who genuinely want to help may feel pressure to conform to masculine stereotypes. These expectations both harm men and put extra unnecessary burdens on women.

While many men do subscribe to traditional gender roles, the issue is more complex than that. Getting men to do more housework can be a matter of changing existing societal norms. Gender roles do not completely absolve men of responsibility, and they should push back against expectations as much as they can.

A great example of this is Japanese politician Shinjiro Koizumi announcing that he will take paternity leave this year. Though he’ll only take two weeks spread out over several months, the move still sparked discussion in Japan. Some criticized him for not putting his work first, while others expressed doubt that it would lead to real change. Yet through his decision, Koizumi can still serve as a model for men who want to contribute more to their homes and families’ lives.

Other Japanese politicians have also tried to set an example, though in somewhat odder ways. Three governors of southwestern prefectures filmed a video wearing 7.3 kilogram vests that simulate pregnancy. The move was meant to encourage men to do more housework and understand what their wives go through.

On the corporate side, the Bank of Mitsubishi and Sekisui House have pushed male employees to take paternity leave. Families can also involve their male children in housework and shape their attitudes about gender roles.

The environments we’re in have a role in shaping our decisions and actions, and it is partly up to the people in men’s lives to be flexible and supportive. We should fight back against any expectations that force people into roles that they’re not only treated equally, but also have repercussions for others in their lives.