Forty Years of Family Change in Japan: A Society Experiencing Population Aging and Declining Fertility

Abstract

Changes, continuities and regional variations in Japanese families are examined using historical, archival and current statistical data. Findings suggest that the institution of the Japanese family currently differs widely from one region to another. The continuities sustaining the traditional nature of the Japanese family and household are highlighted by analyzing traditional co-residency households in the northern part of the farming region. Similarly, the study identified a long-existing unique family household type in the southern part of Kyushu, in which elderly couples and/or elderly alone households are the predominant types among the elderly. These analyses support the widely held notion that Japanese families today are experiencing declining fertility and population aging, but with significant regional variations. Regional variations interact with community and family policies to enhance fertility and sustain large families.