Japan's fertility rate is falling as many employers ask female employees to "rotate" their pregnancies, waiting for the next round if they can't get pregnant at their own time, the associated morning post of Singapore reported. Women are discriminated against in the workplace. They have to take turns to arrange shifts to have children. What do you think?
Experts pointed out that this widespread phenomenon highlights two of the most urgent social problems in Japan: the shrinking population year by year, and women's difficulties in balancing family and career.
Satoko, 35, is one of the victims of the 'rotating pregnancy' system in Japanese companies. After two years of trying but not having a second child, her employer told her that her deadline had passed and that it was now her turn for another newly married female colleague to conceive.
It turned out that there was an unwritten rule in her day care center that female employees should have children according to the informal 'rotation table'. She said: 'I was too shocked to respond. After that, she resigned to another center and recently gave birth to a second child as she wished.
The 'jump in line' procreates are forced to apologize
There are many cases of forced 'rotation' in Japan. A man sent a letter to the media earlier saying that he and his wife were reprimanded and forced to apologize by their wife's employer for "jumping in line" to give birth, sparking a heated debate on the phenomenon of alternate pregnancy in Japanese society.
Experts pointed out that it is illegal to force employees to take turns to get pregnant, but it is very common in Japan, especially in hospitals, nurseries and other workplaces with high turnover and mainly young female employees.
Japan's declining fertility rate, resulting in a labor shortage, is the reason for the prevalence of the rotating pregnancy system. At the same time, Japanese society still generally believes that women should take care of their families and children, and many professional women face the dilemma of family and career.
"When people think that it's best for women to be full-time housewives, they think that women can quit when they are pregnant; if you want to continue working, you should wait until it's your turn to have a baby," said koniko Amano, a researcher at the Institute of basic Japanese studies. '
She said that in such an environment, some women would feel sorry for asking for maternity leave instead of being aware of unfair treatment.
Discrimination against women in the workplace as mothers
Amano also pointed out that Japan's employers said that letting employees line up for childbirth was a measure to deal with the labor shortage, but this practice exacerbated the problem of fertility decline and formed a vicious circle.
Many of the women interviewed pointed out that rotating pregnancies would put pressure on newly married or older women to 'give birth quickly'. After becoming a mother, Japanese women are often discriminated against in the workplace.
The 42 year old nurse who recently gave birth to a third child really said that when she returned to work, she applied for a training program to pave the way for promotion, but her boss told her: 'you have taken maternity leave and work shorter than others. What else do you want to be treated well? "
It's true that she cut her salary in exchange for one hour less work per day in accordance with a policy of reducing the working hours of those who have children. She didn't expect to lose the chance of promotion. Fearing revenge from her boss, she dared not complain, so she had to swallow her anger.
If Japan wants to increase female labor participation rate, it must change workplace culture and no longer regard sacrificing private life for career as praiseworthy behavior, Tano said.