Why Is the Divorce Rate so Low in Japan? Essay Example
Introduction
Since the World War II, Japan has gained a reputation of having a low divorce rate compared to other countries. Indeed, between 1945 and 1990, the divorce rate of Japan has never been higher than 1.5 per 1000 population. Since the 1990's, the divorce rate of Japan increased, reaching 2.08 in 2005. even if we can consider this a low divorce rate in comparison with the U.S, compared with other industrialized country, it is an average rate. Then, why is Japan's divorce rate considered so low? We will see first why I do not consider Japan's divorce rate low, then the historical reasons of the divorce rate, the actual reasons of the divorce rate and, finally, what to expect in the future.
>> why do I not consider the Japanese divorce rate low?
Since World War II, Japan has been considered a country with really low divorce rate. Indeed, according to the figure 1.2, Japan divorce rate in 1945 was 1.1 per 1000 of population. Since the 1960's, divorce rate in Japan has been growing, with a peak in 2002 when there have been 290,000 divorce. Since then, the divorce rate has decreased. In 2005, there has been 262.000 divorce, and the divorce rate has been 2.08 per 1000 population.
Because a U.S.-Japan comparison formed the basis for the majority of divorce studies, the Japanese divorce rate appeared low. However, if Japan had been compared with Southern European countries like Spain, Greece, Portugal or Italy, its divorce rate would not have appeared particularly low. By 2000, the Japanese divorce rate placed the nation somewhere in the middle band of European countries, but still very low in comparison to the United States. Even though the American divorce rate has been declining in recent years, it is still extremely high compared with all European countries as the figure 1.1 clearly shows.
>> historical reasons of the actual level of the divorce rate?
Elevated divorce rates in Japan aren't a new phenomenon, indeed in the 19th century, Japanese
Since the World War II, Japan has gained a reputation of having a low divorce rate compared to other countries. Indeed, between 1945 and 1990, the divorce rate of Japan has never been higher than 1.5 per 1000 population. Since the 1990's, the divorce rate of Japan increased, reaching 2.08 in 2005. even if we can consider this a low divorce rate in comparison with the U.S, compared with other industrialized country, it is an average rate. Then, why is Japan's divorce rate considered so low? We will see first why I do not consider Japan's divorce rate low, then the historical reasons of the divorce rate, the actual reasons of the divorce rate and, finally, what to expect in the future.
>> why do I not consider the Japanese divorce rate low?
Since World War II, Japan has been considered a country with really low divorce rate. Indeed, according to the figure 1.2, Japan divorce rate in 1945 was 1.1 per 1000 of population. Since the 1960's, divorce rate in Japan has been growing, with a peak in 2002 when there have been 290,000 divorce. Since then, the divorce rate has decreased. In 2005, there has been 262.000 divorce, and the divorce rate has been 2.08 per 1000 population.
Because a U.S.-Japan comparison formed the basis for the majority of divorce studies, the Japanese divorce rate appeared low. However, if Japan had been compared with Southern European countries like Spain, Greece, Portugal or Italy, its divorce rate would not have appeared particularly low. By 2000, the Japanese divorce rate placed the nation somewhere in the middle band of European countries, but still very low in comparison to the United States. Even though the American divorce rate has been declining in recent years, it is still extremely high compared with all European countries as the figure 1.1 clearly shows.
>> historical reasons of the actual level of the divorce rate?
Elevated divorce rates in Japan aren't a new phenomenon, indeed in the 19th century, Japanese