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motherhood

6 surprising things about having a baby in Japan

No pain relief, umbilical cord keepsakes, modesty curtains and a sushi free-for-all – what’s it really like to have a baby in Japan?

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Japanese man surprises his busy wife with the best gift a mom can receive

This wife and mother was so happy and grateful to her husband that she cried.

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What’s it like to be a working mother in China? We asked a Chinese mom

In Japan, working mothers are often frowned upon, but is it the same in China?

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Emotional video explores the gap between ideals and reality for working mothers in Japan【Video】

Get out the tissues because this short ad will make you appreciate family bonds all over again.

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Try not to cry at this series of short films showing struggles working mothers face in Japan

In Japan, it’s still considered quite normal for women to give up their jobs once they get married and focus on running the home and raising children. Not only is motherhood a respected career in itself, there really isn’t enough support for working mothers, making returning to work a prospect many women don’t aspire to.

And, as this new series of videos shows, working mothers who are also married often don’t get enough support from their spouse or co-workers. We challenge you not to tear up just a tiny bit at this video depicting the struggles of a hard-working mother whose sick child asks her “Mommy, are you okay?”

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5 powerful reasons to be a woman in Japan 【Women in Japan Series】

It’s no secret that Japan continually lands at the bottom in global gender gap reports. In 2012, the World Economic Forum ranked Japan 101 in regard to women’s participation in the economy and politics. In 2013, Japan placed 105 (out of 135 countries), putting it behind Burkina Faso in gender equality.

Based on these findings, you may think it doesn’t seem like Japan is a very good country for women, but you’d be wrong. While there are huge shortcomings in gender gaps in the workplace, economy and politics, in other sectors of Japanese society some would would argue that Japanese women have “too much” power.

Let’s take a look at five areas where women are most powerful in Japan.

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