An Analysis of Single Mothers’ Participation in the Public Pension Insurance System in Japan

: Using the Survey of Living Conditions in A City in the Kanto Area

Abstract

In this paper, I have addressed the issues surrounding single mothers’ participation in public pensions, keeping in mind the current state of poverty among single elderly women in Japan. To this end, I analyzed changes in pension enrollment before and after becoming a single mother from the results of a living survey （questionnaire survey, interview survey） targeting single mothers. From the analysis, low pensions in old age are predicted, and as a factor, the movement of pension enrollment is forced at the same time as divorce and bereavement, resulting in fragmented and unstable enrollment. They also seemed to prioritize their current parenting life over their future pension. Furthermore, it became clear that there was their low awareness of pension participation. Finally, regarding the evaluation of the so-called Category3 insured persons, I pointed out that the advantages of full-time housewives before divorce turned into disadvantages after divorce, resulting in difficulty in stable pension enrollment.