The aim of this study is to find factors which influence wives’ evaluation of their husbands’ participation in housework and childcare in dual-career couples. By using a questionnaire of 727 couples with children in day care in Chiba prefecture, the following points were identified. First, according to a multiple regression analysis, the degree of their husbands’ participation in housework and childcare positively affects the wives’ evaluation of their husbands’ involvement, while the effects of both wives’ consciousness in favor of childcare participation of men and their work- family conflict on their evaluation are negative. Secondly, a two way analysis of variance shows there is a different evaluation between the two groups with regard to the low level of husbands’ participation. The statistically significant result suggests that the wives’ evaluation of their husbands’ participation was lower in the case of wives who strongly subscribe to the involvement of men in childcare than in those who do not.

  The purpose of the present research is to characterize citizenship education as it occurs in social studies and home economics classes, as well as to specify the educational objective, by grade level and throughout compulsory education, of home economics education specifically with respect to cultivating citizenship. In doing so, the ultimate aim is to gain foundational materials for the development of a home economics citizenship curriculum.
  Based on the results and analysis of the educational objective and content of citizenship education in home economics at each grade level, the following conclusions can be drawn.
  1. The learning process was coherently organized over 5 years.
  2. Political literacy is nurtured through discussion and dialogue in which differences of opinion and objections are not avoided, and in which the participants understand each other’s needs while sympathizing and criticizing.
  3. Students practice resolution and betterment themselves, the results of which are disseminated widely both within and outside of school.
  4. Reflection is critical to the sequential learning process that seeks to broaden perspectives.

  Class practice and opinion on food safety education including that of genetically modified food was carried out based on a survey of high school home economics teachers in T prefecture. More than 90％ of the teachers surveyed had taught food safety classes which included classes on food safety and genetically modified food. 38％ of the teachers did not regard GM food as unsafe. Those teachers considered the advantages and disadvantages from a neutral viewpoint. The teachers who regarded GM food as unsafe felt the same way about food additives. They were also of the opinion that students became aware of the possible harmful effects of genetically modified food following a class on the subject. Teachers wanted to have up to date information on genetically modified food and wanted to conduct DNA recombination experiments in class. It is necessary to have the opportunity to learn about genetic information and genetic experiments for home economy teachers. It is also essential to develop good teaching materials about genetically modified food.