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Japan report suggests “pandemic takes greater toll on women.”

By on July 30, 2021

Child rearing. Laundry. Cooking.  In Japan, it’s very common for women to be doing most of the housework, no matter who earns more, or who is working long hours.

The pandemic is continuously taking a toll on women’s health according to an annual report on Friday by the Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.

Ionna, an M&A consultant, has been working from home since the pandemic began. On days she has complicated tasks to do, she would ask her husband, Greg, to do some errands, cooking and light house cleaning. “But the daily experience of scuffles over housework becomes more stressful so I end up doing things myself,” she admits. “My wife insists on home-cooked meals. But sometimes, when I am really tired to cook and wash the dishes, I order pizza instead. She doesn’t like that,” says Greg.

With more families staying home since May 2020, the housework gap has become more pronounced.

According to the report, the average number of hours women spent on household chores and child rearing since the pandemic began, went up by 11.7 percent compared to December 2019.  In contrast, the increase in men averaged 3.6 percent.

The Ministry has stressed the importance of narrowing the housework and child rearing gap regardless of gender.

The report underscored the need to speed up efforts in tackling the gap and other pandemic-related issues.

 

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