Dual-earner Couple Society as a Solution?:

From a Perspective of Studies on Child-birth

抄録

East Asian societies, including Japan, are suffering from the lowest-low fertility rate. This study inquires about the possible factors of this low fertility problem with special attention to female labor force participation. The preliminary analysis suggests that dual-earner couple society is a solution for improving birthrates, where women's income complements men's income in the age of lower level of economic growth. It also argues about the social and economic conditions of the dual-earner couple society. The US model presupposes the income gap where low-income group provide reasonable care services through labor market. The Nordic model relies on massive public employment to provide care work as the social service. None of these conditions are easily attainable in East Asian societies, especially in Japan. Another problem of dual-earner society is its unintended consequence, namely the widening between-household income gap. In a dual-earner society, women's labor force participation no longer works as a moderation, where wives usually take part in the labor market only if their husband's income is insufficient. Through the assortative mating, a rich man is more likely to marry with a rich woman. Extra policy for income redistribution might be required to ease this economic gap possibly derived from the dual-earner couple orientation.