Part Two: Report by Article

It is often pointed out that education in the home tends to be entrusted to mothers, while the presence of fathers tends to be barely felt. Since FY1999, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has prepared the "Handbook of Education in the Home" and the "Notebook of Education in the Home," noting the "cooperation between husband and wife in child rearing," and has been distributing them to parents with infants and/or students of elementary and junior high school.

Further, to enhance the participation of fathers in education in the home, MEXT has supported local governments in holding forums under the theme of "Father," and the municipal authorities in organizing "Children's Visits to Fathers' Workplaces" through which the children see their own fathers work, and also has rendered support for a project to set up lectures at the workplace to educate fathers on the importance of education in the home.

In addition, the Government has been holding the "Education in the Home Forum" twice a year, as an opportunity for parents and the people concerned with Education in the Home to realize the importance of the collaboration of father and mother in conducting Education in the Home.

Education on personality building, which aims at nurturing mutual respect, understanding and cooperation between men and women has been given to citizens on such occasions as courses for parents, courses for newly-wed couples and courses for couples expecting a baby. Also, how to promote gender equality in family life is often taken up as a theme for women's class. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology subsidizes pioneering or model projects selected from such classes or lecture meetings held by local governments. In addition, in July 2001, the administration system for social education toward the improvement of education skills in the household was developed by partially amending the Social Education Law. The amended law stipulates the responsibility of the Board of Education to support and hold lectures on home education.

Various measures have been actively promoted to support the efforts to manage work and family life so that both men and women employees can lead fruitful working lives, while fulfilling their roles as members of the family such as child care and family care. (See Article 11.2 (c) for more detail).

From March 2001 through June 2001, the Cabinet Office held the "Research Committee on Family and Lifestyle."

The relationship of husband and wife in Japan so far has been based on the division of gender roles, namely, "a husband goes to work, and a wife does the housework and child rearing," which was formulated during the high economic growth period. However, in the current circumstances, where the prospects for future economic and employment situations remain uncertain, complete dependence on the income of the male household member brings a huge risk to family budgets.

The Research Committee presented a new image of family where both men and women participate in society and engage in revenue raising activities, thus mental and emotional dependence becomes more important than the function of the family itself, and the roles are shared by each family member regardless of gender differences. The Research Committee also made a proposal on a policy response in order to ensure neutrality in lifestyle and present larger choices in lifestyle.