The Fluidity of Employment and Family Formation

Adolescence has been perceived as the transitional stage from childhood to adulthood, and at a time when a desire to set up family begins to manifest itself. However, these traditional assumptions have been increasingly undermined by the fluidity of employment pervading Japanese society in recent years. This paper examines how this new phenomenon in the labour market situation is affecting family and young people in particular. As fluidity of employment increases, two characteristic patterns have emerged : non-regular and non-typical employment. The patterns are particularly evident in the less educated and the financially disadvantaged. Non-regular or non-typical employment amongst women is also increasing. Unstable employment and the consequent low income have led to a fall in the rate of marriage in young men. Those who begin their career in non-regular or non-typical employment usually face difficulties in finding stable employment later on, and this unstable status is thought to be causing these men to delay seeking marriage. Whilst the relation between employment status and marriage in women is not as clear as that in men, there is enough evidence to suggest that insecure employment is one of the major causes for women to delay their marriage too. Young people are choosing to stay unmarried and live with their parents rather than to marry and face financial hardships. It can be speculated that this unwillingness of the present generation of young people to marry is caused by a combination of the fluidity of employment, the traditional social system and family values in Japanese culture.