Women in Japan

I was aware that women were expected to fulfill more roles and expectations of child rearing and domestic duties but bothered to hear than even college educated women leave the work force after having children. Knowing that Japan has a conservative culture, I wonder what the dynamic between spouses are in the family. Similar to Korean culture, a lot of working dads don't have the closest relationship with their children because they don't have the opportunity to spend very much time at home. Similarly, I wonder how children may view both their mother and father separately in regard to the roles they have. 

Especially for women who do choose to pursue their careers in the workforce, I'm curious as to how they are treated and viewed in comparison to their male colleagues and whether they receive equal pay and support. I think its important for there to be balance between spouses and equal responsibility in child rearing and support.