University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0624
Survey Title Survey on Women's Life Planning Support, 2006
Depositor Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office
(Former Name:Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office)
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Educational Purpose Available for both research and instructional purposes.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
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Summary As Japan is facing an aging society with a declining birthrate and expected shrinking of the labor force, promoting women’s employment has become a critical issue. Women themselves often desire to continue working, wanting to resume employment after raising their children, even if they stopped working because of birth/childrearing. However, in reality, there are not many women continuing to work under such circumstances, or becoming employed again as they desire. Women are forced to revise their life plans after giving birth. Therefore, they need opportunities to explore comprehensive life plans from a long-term perspective. In addition, they need to be presented with a framework for exploring not only work but options such as entrepreneurship, community service, or learning activities.

Therefore, this survey (attitudes survey) was conducted to study the support required for women’s life planning.

A questionnaire survey of women in their 30s to 40s was conducted for the purpose of understanding the hopes and realities of women’s life plans. The survey was conducted on any women of applicable age, whether or not they were married or had children. By focusing on their decisions at times of marriage or birth and the possible factors influencing them, it was possible to find out their actual situations of and attitudes to long-term life planning.

Furthermore, “life planning” in this survey is defined as long-term exploration/planning of what decisions to make and when to make them, or what issues might arise from those decisions, mainly regarding (1) “family formation” through marriage/birth and (2) “social activity choices” such as choosing an occupation.
Data Type quantitative research
quantitative research: micro data
Universe Women in their 30s to 40s
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size Valid responses: 3,100 people
Date of Collection 2006-12-26 ~ 2006-12-27
2006/12/26 –12/27
Time Period 2006 ~ 2006
Spatial Unit
Sampling Procedure Non-probability: Quota
Targeting the survey panel consists of 430,000 registered people, the survey was conducted by allocating number of responses by female population ratio per age group and per regional block in the National Census in order to collect 3,000 responses from women in their 30s to 40s. Collection was completed when each allocation group reached the needed response number.
Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)
Internet (monitor) survey
Investigator Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office, survey carried out by Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd.
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.0624
Sponsors (Funds)
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Please refer to the abstract in Japanese.
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation [Questionnaire]
Major Survey Items (1) Respondent attributes
- Area of residence (Q1), highest level of educational attainment (Q2), marital status (Q3), age at first marriage (Q4), respondent’s annual income (Q5), spouse’s/partner’s annual income (Q5), presence of children (Q9), number of children (Q11), children’s ages (Q12), joys of child rearing (Q14), ideal number of children (Q54), mother’s work style (Q17), mother’s thoughts on “working women” (Q18), intention to get married in the future (Q56)

(2) Spouse’s/partner’s status
- Spouse’s or partner’s work style (Q6), state of housework sharing between husband and wife (Q7), spouse’s/partner’s thoughts on “working wives” (Q8), state of spouse’s/partner’s child rearing (Q10), person other than spouse/partner trusted to watch children (Q13), idea that “the husband works outside, the wife protects the home” (Q55)

(3) Respondent’s work status (*regarding first job, current job)
- Employment status (Q25), occupation type (Q26), number of employees (Q27), working hours per day (Q28), one-way commuting time (Q29), workplace features (Q30), state of living in proximity/cohabitation (Q31)

(4) State of using parental leave system
- Whether or not respondent used parental leave system when giving birth (Q15), period that parental leave system was used (Q16)

(5) State of leaving jobs
- Experience of working/leaving a job (Q19), number of times leaving a job (Q20), periods respondent did not work for one year or longer (Q21), age that respondent left a job (Q22), reasons for leaving the job (Q23), reasons for “not working for one year or longer after leaving a job” (Q24), hope and reality for time away from job for one year or longer (Q39)

(6) Work status before and after not working for one year or longer
- Employment status (Q32), occupation type (Q33), number of employees (Q34), working hours per day (Q35), one-way commuting time (Q36), workplace features (Q37), state of living in proximity/cohabitation (Q38), change in annual income at time of becoming employed again (Q40) )

(7) For respondent not currently working, intention to work in the future
- Intention to work in the future (Q41), when respondent wants to start work (Q42), at what age of the youngest child respondent wishes to start work (Q43)

(8) Choice to work when getting married, giving birth to first child/raising children (*when getting married, when giving birth to first child)
- Desired work style (Q44), actual work style (Q45), attitude to choosing work style (Q46), reasons for leaving the job (Q47), reasons for not leaving the job (Q48)                                                                                                                                                                                                    

(9) Needs when working while raising children
- Most important thing when working while raising children (Q49), necessary workplace environment and system when working while raising children (Q50), family needs when working while raising children (Q51)

(10) Ideal work style
- Ideal work style depending on the situation of marriage or children (Q53)

(11) Attitude to past work styles
- Attitude to choices regarding past work styles (Q57), reasons for dissatisfaction with past work styles (Q58)

(12) Things necessary when setting up a life plan
- Support needed when setting up a life plan for work and family life, etc. (Q59)

In addition to the above, survey panel information includes age and regional blocks.
Date of Release 2009/10/06
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Working conditions
Gender and gender roles
Topics in SSJDA Employment/Labor
Society/Culture
Version 1 : 2009-10-06
Notes for Users