University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 1213
Survey Title 9th Survey on Marriage and Childbirth, 2016
Depositor Meiji Yasuda Research Institute, Inc.
(Former Name:Meiji Yasuda Institute of Life and Wellness, Inc.)
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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 The Meiji Yasuda Institute of Life and Wellness has been conducting an annual questionnaire survey on marriage and childbirth since 2005.

The themes of this survey are “marriage” and “childbirth and childrearing.”

Regarding “marriage,” this survey reveals the realities of romantic love and finding a spouse, thoughts on marriage, and the realities of married life. On the theme of “childbirth/childrearing,” the survey reveals the realities of childbirth and childrearing, thoughts on childcare services, and the state of women’s work.

The main survey items are as follows.
(1) Romantic love/finding a marriage partner
(2) Perception of marriage
(3) Marriage experience
(4) Childbirth/childrearing
Data Type quantitative research
quantitative research: micro data
Universe Men and women aged 20 to 49 years in Japan
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size Sample size: 3,595 people
Among them, singles: 1,400 people, married (no children): 886 people, married (with children): 1,309 people
Date of Collection 2016-03-11 ~ 2016-03-16
Time Period 2016 ~ 2016
Spatial Unit Japan
Japan
Sampling Procedure Non-probability: Quota
A considerable number of responses were collected based on each attribute (gender, age, marital status, presence of children) from registered monitors of Cross Marketing, Inc.
Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)
Internet survey
Investigator Meiji Yasuda Institute of Life and Wellness, Inc.,survey carried out by Cross Marketing, Inc.
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.1213
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 Face items
Gender, age, prefecture of residence, presence of spouse/first marriage or remarriage, type of housing, presence of children, number of children/age (the first child and on - if there are four or more children, the age of the youngest child), respondent’s/spouse’s current working style, situation of cohabitation, annual personal income, annual income of husband and wife combined, type (sociable/not good at talking to someone of the opposite sex, etc.)


(1) Romantic love/finding a marriage partner
- Romantic love
Presence of opposite-sex romantic partner/whether considering marriage, number of past relationships/how respondent met them

- Finding a marriage partner
Services used for “partner-finding activities” involvement of parents in respondent’s “partner-finding activities” reason for starting using them/whether it has led to marriage, reason for not participating in “partner-finding” activities

(2) Perception of marriage
- Views on marriage
Reason for being single, feelings about marriage, prediction of marital status at age 50, monetary value associated with marriage, desired age of marriage, reason for wanting to get married, views on marrying young, views on marrying at an old age, reason for not wanting to get married, reason that the unmarried rate/average age of the first marriage have gone up, views on marriage, marriage expenses, image toward marriage

- About marriage partner
Age preference for marriage partner, acceptable age difference with marriage partner, preferred occupation of marriage partner, preferred way of meeting a marriage partner, marriage partner’s annual income, minimum annual household income thought to be necessary for married life, requirements for a marriage partner

(3) Marriage Experience
- Experiences leading to marriage
How respondent met his or her spouse, reason for getting married/path leading to marriage 

- Married Life
Whether marriage was the right choice/reason, level of satisfaction with current lifestyle, what respondent expects from his or her spouse, feelings toward spouse, experience considering divorce/reason for considering (having considered) divorce

- Relation to work
Employment status of respondent and spouse before marriage, ideal working style in different life stages of women, timing of going back to work/reason, system respondent wants to see improved

(4) Childbirth/childrearing
- Childbirth
Desire for children/number, age when giving birth to the first child/reason, reason for wanting/not wanting children, attitude to/action taken (action respondent took) for childbirth

- Educational expenses
Amount of savings or funding arrangements for children’s education per month, presence of financial support from respondent’s/spouse’s parents

- Relation to Work
Views on taking parental leave, period respondent wishes to take leave, reason for not taking leave, whether or not wife continued working throughout pregnancy and childbirth/reason

- Childcare support
Information sources and advisers for childrearing, whether or not help is available for childrearing until children reach the lower grades of elementary school, childcare support services used, important factors when choosing nursery/kindergarten, requests for improvement of nursery and other facilities respondent uses (extension of hours, etc.)

- Childrearing
Level of involvement of husband in childrearing/reason, changes necessary to promote men’s participation in housework/childrearing, awareness of and views on “Comprehensive Support System for Children and Child-rearing”

- Single parent
Views on being a single parent/reason, intention to remarry, support respondent wishes to receive from the national government/municipality/local community
Date of Release 2019/02/15
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Family life and marriage
Specific social services: use and availability
Social conditions and indicators
Topics in SSJDA Society/Culture
Version 1 : 2019-02-15
Notes for Users