Intergenerational Coresidence and Nearness in Korea and Japan: Unbalanced Aspects of Family Changes

Compares the geographic proximity between elderly parents & their children in Korea & Japan, using data sets from two nationally representative surveys. The extent to which needs & kinship of elderly parents & regional constraints influence intergenerational coresidence & nearness is examined. Results highlight a complex feature of intergenerational relationship in Korea & Japan. Advanced economic & health conditions of Korean elderly parents increase the likelihood of living with children. For Japanese elderly parents, however, coresidence with children is likely to occur in response to their disadvantaged economic status. These results suggest that elderly Koreans are more likely than the elderly Japanese to lack not only economic & health resources, but also family support in a time of need. Characteristics of children, however, show a similar trend between the two societies. Both societies maintain a strong son preference for extended family living arrangement. Eldest children in both societies are more likely than their siblings to live with or near elderly parents. However, children of younger cohorts in both societies are significantly more likely than those of older cohorts to maintain a dispersed geographic network, indicating a significant change in family attitude among different cohorts. A more dispersed family network is found among rural vs urban elderly parents in both societies, reflecting the fact that massive rural-to-urban migration of the younger population has contributed to geographic segregation of kin in these societies. 5 Tables, 57 References. Adapted from the source document.