Half of new Japanese fathers take leave, far below gov't target

If they baby is whisked away then why should he take leave? To do what, sit home alone?

Men who the survey judged communicate well with their wives were more inclined to apply for leave

A real man does not need to be told that his wife needs a break...

Seems silly to not take the time off if the company is offering it.

Don't get me wrong, I work hard and do a good job, but the company gets good value out of me and as such I will use what is on offer. Just taken some study leave. Didn't need to take it to pass the exam in question, but on offer, so will use.

My wife, like most Japanese, spent a week in hospital and a month at her parents'. I didn't take any time off and quite enjoyed having the place to myself. Of course, ever since I've been home every night by 6pm, have never once worked a Sat/Sun, and take every minute of leave allotted to me.

Among the 55.9 percent of fathers who took time off work after the birth of their child, only 9.4 percent took 10 or more days, while 23 percent, the largest group, took between four to six days of leave, according to the government report based on an online survey conducted among 1,118 men.

This article and the information are definitely misleading as hell, out of a little over 1,000,000 babies born in Japan in 2015 the data here is skewed to the 1,118 men who actually replied to the online survey.

Seems silly to not take the time off if the company is offering it.

They usually don't. You have to use your paid holidays (between 10-20 days per year, depending on length of time with the company). There is no special leave, and nothing mandated.

When my first kid was born, I was still working for a Japanese company. I took a few days off, but it gave me less time off for the rest of the year after my wife was out of the hospital. If I were to do it again, I would wait until my wife and kid were home, not take the vacation right when my child was born.

I didn't take any time off and quite enjoyed having the place to myself.

I enjoyed the time home alone as well. I remember thinking it was my last vacation ever.

I remember thinking it was my last vacation ever.

As someone who loves to travel solo, this has been a challenge. Just before the kid's 4th BD, I managed to get an entire week to myself in California. Hiking in the Sierras, 3 nights in San Diego & LA. It was wonderful. God knows when it'll happen again. Probably when she's in college in the late 2020s...

I was fortunate both in that within a year of my kid's birth, I started a new company and ended up making enough money to actually travel more than I ever was able to in my life, and I go on enough business trips that I essentially get to do the solo travel.

Had I stayed in my company, I imagine I'd be soulless and just plugging along every day around now. Traveling is what keeps me fresh.

If men are using a paid holiday allowance they have already, I don't think it should be called paternity leave. The expression "paternity leave" implies that it is something different/extra.

With most mothers staying in hospital for up to a week and many visiting their mother's afterward, there isn't that much help many fathers need to provide in the first month. It's great to be around for bonding of course, and possibly to counteract any of the MiL's old ways ("just cuddle him in the car, don't bother with the child seat", "don't take him outside, he will die of cold" etc), but in most cases help with child rearing would be more useful once the mother and child are back home. This survey is only covers two months, most of which may be spent at the grandmother's.

If men are using a paid holiday allowance they have already, I don't think it should be called paternity leave. The expression "paternity leave" implies that it is something different/extra.

You're entirely correct. It's not paternity leave. It's fathers deciding whether or not to take paid vacation time when their children are born. Paternity leave doesn't exist by law in this country, nor even in practice, though I would imagine there are some companies that provide it for their staff.

This is seriously a huge issue that I discuss with my wife about where to have our child.. Here in Sweden I have to by law take at least 60 days if I remember correctly, paid paternity leave.. Although I would be looked at very strangely if I didn't take more.. Usually parents here divide it so mum takes first 6 months ,then back to work ,then dad takes 6 months ..after that they use the remaining leave to pad out the holidays, so perhaps 6 or 7 weeks in summer instead of 4 etc..

This would be a huge loss if at moved back and had the baby in Japan.. It's incredible that people are so passive to not demand these things until they get them.. Same with holidays.. I never have to ask if it's OK to take a holiday or days of, I tell my manager when I will be gone. Giving him enough time to shuffle things around if needed. Or if there is an emergency at would negotiate some compensation for me to move the holiday if I agree

Paternity leave does exist by law in Japan, but the conditions are terrible. I can't remember exactly the details, but it was something like receiving just a 10% of the salary on your leave days.

A lot of misunderstood posts here. It is not the fathers who are failing their wives and newborn babies, it is the companies and the Japanese government. As an example, my idiot company has an awful paternity leave system which resulted in me using my paid holidays to be with my wife. You can take 1 weeks paternity leave but you only get paid for 2 days of it. You can take up to 2 weeks but will only receive 4 days pay. That equates to a 60% cut in salary and you have to claim the pathetic 40% through a government benefit.

Me and the Mrs never ran home to grandparents we just did it ourselves(if you cant raise it on your own why have it kind of logic. luckily we can due to her maternity leave and our bars location to home.

J families need all the help they can get, think of the scorns a Japanese guy would get when he return to the office if he took all the leave available, pure window dressing as ever.