Observations of Japanese Men and Children in Public Places: A Comparative Study

Abstract

The popular image of Japanese men, both in the United States and Japan, is that of “salaryman” who works such long hours that he has no time left for his children. The little empirical evidence available, however, suggests that Japanese men have familial involvement patterns not unlike those of men in the United States. In the study reported here, prepubertal children and adult males in Japan and the USA were observed together disproportionately more often during those times when men were not precluded (by work) from being with children. Further, during those periods children were more likely to be found in groups containing men rather than with women only. In both countries women continue to be the primary caregivers of children. However, previous research has shown that men in the USA, compared to men in other cultures, are not totally uninvolved; Japanese men are not either.