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Survey asks Japanese women what best job for a husband is, with architect topping list

30 Comments
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24

In some ways, dating in Japan is its own unique thing. Christmas Eve is the hottest night of the year for couples, for example, and guys are the ones who get presents on Valentine’s Day.

But every country has its courtship quirks. When it comes to romance itself, though, the things that move people’s hearts aren’t so different from one place to another. Just like their counterparts in the west, many Japanese women dream of being with a man who’s confident, a good listener, and an architect.

A recent survey by Japanese career website Shigyo Job found that it’s not just romantic comedy screenwriters who think architect is the ideal job for an eligible bachelor. Shigyo Job recently asked Japanese women between the ages of 20 and 39 what sort of profession they think is the most desirable in a potential husband, and architect was the landslide winner.

● I want to marry a man who is a…

1. Architect (42 percent of responses)

2. Lawyer (26 percent)

3. Tax accountant (11 percent)

4. Certified public accountant (8 percent)

As a job that mixes creative and technical aspects, architect has a popular image as combining the best of both worlds of artistic expression and financial affluence.

When asked why they wanted to marry an architect, women’s answers included:

“We can plan how to build our ideal house together.”

“I’ve always wanted to live in a comfortable, enjoyable house, and I could have him design it for me.”

“I think he’d do a lot of do-it-yourself projects for me.”

“He’d probably make a lot of money, and he’d take care of a lot of things when we build our house.”

However, in announcing the results of the survey, Shigyo Job itself pointed out that many of these responses seem to be based on the popular image of architects, not necessarily the actual circumstances of the job. Not all architects design houses, after all, and not all architects who do design houses design their own home, especially from the ground up.

Coming in second on the list was lawyer, with a solid lead over third-place tax accountant. Earning power was a big factor here, with over 70 percent of the respondents saying they imagined lawyers to be the wealthiest out of all job types, though one respondent, apparently envisioning some sort of legal issues in her future, said “He’d be able to take care of us if we got into legal trouble.”

However, lawyer wasn’t just a popular choice for a husband’s job, but a divisive one as well. When asked what sort of man they don’t want to marry, more than half said lawyer.

● I don’t want to marry a man who is a…

1. Lawyer (54 percent)

2. Land and housing inspector (10 percent)

3 (tie). Tax accountant (7 percent)

3 (tie). Notary public (7 percent)

Among the reason participants want to give attorneys a wide berth:

“He’d probably be so busy with work that he’d never be home.”

“I think he’d always be trying to talk me into things.”

“They make a lot of money, but they don’t seem like they’re very nice.”

Others cited concerns that they’d never be able to win an argument against a husband who’s a lawyer, and that the profession’s requirements would make him rigidly logical, and unable to understand emotional behavior.

Meanwhile, architect fared a lot better in the “don’t want to marry” ranking, being chosen by just three percent of respondents and tied for second lowest on the list.

Of course, as with any romance-related survey, it’s important to bear in mind that unless you’re planning on assembling a harem, all you really need is one person who likes you. So while taking some drafting classes looks like it’ll improve your odds with the ladies, it’s not a must-do, as proven by the fact that despite not having any idea how to build a house, plenty of people on the SoraNews24 staff have found someone to share their lives with.

Source: PR Times

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Survey reveals that Japanese women’s ideal husband is surprisingly ordinary

-- “Scholar” tops list of what Japanese boys want to be when they grow up, “restauranteur” for girls

-- Could you marry an otaku? Japanese people rank the geek hobbies they’d let slide for love

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

30 Comments
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It's not difficult to get the "sekkeishi" license in Japan. We used an architect to build our house, but the contractor who hired the tradesmen also had the license. It takes many more years of study in the UK.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Police?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Notary public

Is this a job in Japan? In America, it's simply a license to sign certain things but it isn't a job. I'm a notary public and so are many lawyers, accountants, secretaries, bankers, accountants, and everyday people.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

guess as a photographer I'm not going to be very lucky ha ha

4 ( +5 / -1 )

police?

Oldman, police are often ranked last, because they are too rigid and rule oriented, abusive, and like giving orders after having to take then all day. I asked my secretaries about marrying one and they both shuddered.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

How about a Cloud Architect?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

It's clear that many of the women polled don't know what an architect does.

Accounting will be one of the first casualties of the AI revolution.

Unless you work for one of the big four firms, being a lawyer doesn't pay what it used to.
6 ( +6 / -0 )

Reckless,

Nice comments.

Gave be a giggle on Christmas Eve.

Thanks

2 ( +2 / -0 )

So the women just want to sponge off the guy and offer nothing in return. Sounds about right.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I know a bunch, they all live in apartments. Think again ladies.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Where the hell does the enqueters find lady to ask ? Reading the comments I can just stop myself of thinking of some idole or wannabe, hostess and the like and other lady playing the half dead brain card to attract men jiggling all cutely when responding.

“We can plan how to build our ideal house together.”

Do not need to be an architect for that. And safer to have someone outside the couple going for the reality card.

“I’ve always wanted to live in a comfortable, enjoyable house, and I could have him design it for me.”

What about you design it for yourself ?

“I think he’d do a lot of do-it-yourself projects for me.”

How about you do it by yourself ? That is the concept of DIY if not it will be called HYSDIFY (have-your-spouse-do-it-for-you).

“He’d probably make a lot of money, and he’d take care of a lot of things when we build our house.”

Lazy.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Sadly J-ladies are trying to catch up to their western counterparts with these entitlement lists, expect more men to pass on relationships going forward, the risks for men are increasing everywhere, better to stay away from marriage etc men are almost guaranteed to lose bigtime, especially in the west  you are going to PAY in more ways than one!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Abe Hiroshi is the tall, handsome, eligible, architect in...

Mada Kekkon Dekinai Otoko

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Is this a job in Japan? In America, it's simply a license to sign certain things but it isn't a job. I'm a notary public and so are many lawyers, accountants, secretaries, bankers, accountants, and everyday people.

Yes, it's a job. In some places outside Japan, for example, in Louisiana in the USA and in British Columbia, Canada, notary publics are their own profession with significant responsibilities and legal powers.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Not surprising. Basically the results demonstrate how Japanese women want to marry someone who will effectively take the role of their father and do everything for them.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Also, the photo made me chuckle. In two decades, I've never seen a Japanese kitchen this uncluttered and/or clean.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

In Japan they should be going for a dentist.

i think also more likely to get a chef to cook them a meal than an architect to design and build their house.

how about these ladies study to be an architect themselves?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What Jobs Japanese Men Like Best In A Women. Now that would be a good story.

1-5: Housewife.
1 ( +1 / -0 )

So the women just want to sponge off the guy and offer nothing in return. Sounds about right.

lol..... Seriously what were you expecting?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Can't find an architect to marry? Here's an idea - why don't you become an architect yourself?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Is this a job in Japan? In America, it's simply a license to sign certain things but it isn't a job. I'm a notary public and so are many lawyers, accountants, secretaries, bankers, accountants, and everyday people.

Welcome to Japan, a notary public is a HUGE business here. I have had dealings with one here on a number of occasions, 公証人 (koushounin) They deal with notarizing all sorts of things and handle wills, pre-nups, and a host of other official documents, land transfers, too. They make a TON of money!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

But missing is reality that most women will marry men who DONT work in any of these fields!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

WobotDec. 24 12:41 pm JST

It's pretty funny how on one hand you've got women shouting for gender equality then on the other you've got women openly admitting to looking for a guy for his earning potential. I wonder how much crossover there is, I assume very little but it's best to check.

If women are allowed to overtly ask for men to bring in money, can men do the same of women? I think you'd be laughed out the door if you tried that in お見合い!

The question itself is misleading though, isn't it. The women were asked a question and given a few choices of an answer - the magazine gets to spin this in any way it wants. And most of the time, media exaggerate to make things more interesting than they really are, so is it any surprise this would be played off as though all women are looking for a husband with earning potential? The media purposely play off these societial stereotypes whether or not the stereotype is actually true, and since there are no follow-up questions we don't get any idea of what each individual women actually thinks about their own roles in the marriage.

I'm not married nor am I interested in being married. I've always worked and made my own money. But if asked "what sort of man would you like to marry" and given five answers, what would you expect me to say? Flat out refuse to answer the question?

Actually, I would, because it's a stupid question and I wouldn't want to participate. But most people would just answer without thinking how the magazine might try to portray their replies.

I think these kinds of stories, which you often see in this site, only serve to reinforce sexist tropes. They need to die.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

WobotDec. 24 10:41 pm JST

how about these ladies study to be an architect themselves?

That would require them to work, which they are obviously loathe to do

Women aren't "loathe" to work. This culture makes it impossible for them to work. Seven Japanese universities were systematically and purposefully manipulating test results to ensure men got better grades and were able to enter programs that would prepare them to work in feilds like medicine and engineering. This effectively barred women from entering these feilds. And those were just the universities who would actually admit to doing it. The actual number is very likely much higher.

Women are overlooked for promotions, harassed to quit if they get pregnant, and can't possibly be expected to work the same amount of overtime that men are if they are also expected to take care of the home and the children. The birth rate is plunging for this very reason - women actually do want careers, but are conflicted because they want a family, too.

If men can have both a career and a family, why can't women, too?

So instead of accusing women of being lazy incompetents who don't want to work, what we need to be doing is dismantling gender roles and changing the work culture so that women are able to fulfill the career ambitions they clearly have.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

My father-in-law was a Grade 1 architect who specialised in dams and waterways. He tried to design and build a family home, it was a disaster. No right angles on most of the corners and walls, stairs that wobbled as you went up and down them like a gangway on the Titanic, a roof that leaked water and windows that let the wind through. He should have stuck to waterways!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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