Recently I was involved in a discussion about why Japanese women overlook their husband's indiscretions. I always thought it was just part of the culture - which it still is in some ways - but these days it is mainly due to the fact that a divorce will actually leave the ex-wife with absolutely nothing. Well she does get the children (it is very rare for custody to go the father - in fact it is very rare full stop for the father to challenge the custody agreement, or to even see the children once the divorce is finalized) but she does not get any alimony from her ex-husband or any other monetary support.
Typically, a Japanese woman will stop working once she is married in order to raise a family and look after the house. Even is this woman has gone to university and was forging out a career, it is still the expectation that she will stop working. So a divorced lady who has not been in the work force for many years with children to feed is not an attractive option.
It does not mean they like their husband going outside of the marriage but it means they will put up with it.
Just from some of the conversations I've had... While younger people are changing their thinking, the old-school way was marriage for convenience. Hence, the wife not having to work and raising the kids, while the husband works 80+ hours a week and gets dinner on the table when he gets home plus offspring, etc.
Posted by: Wazza | 05/07/2009 at 01:11 AM
btw, do you remember back in '04 or '05, the divorce rate briefly got really low? I heard it was because the laws were changing so that women would receive more monetary compensation after a divorce. many women were waiting for the law to take effect before filing...
Posted by: Wazza | 05/07/2009 at 01:16 AM
Hmmm I should check on that....but knowing the processes here it is probably still being passed!
Posted by: Miss Riz | 05/07/2009 at 06:24 PM
I don't think this is ture at all! I am divorcing my husband. While we aare in the process (Family Court), he is been forced by the FC to pass me 170,000 yen for our two kids; after we divorce, it will be 120,000 or so.
I make a call to allJapanese women cheated and abused by their husbands!! Be smart, collect evidences, go to the City Office or hire a lawyer and don't let your husbands get away with bad actions.
Good luck!!
Posted by: jenny | 08/25/2009 at 08:12 PM
Thanks for the great reading,Great Posting,I will pass this on to our ira clients to read.
Posted by: university | 10/28/2009 at 08:43 PM