MPIDR Working Paper

Leaving the parental home in post-war Japan: social, economic and demographic determinants

Fukuda, S.
MPIDR Working Paper WP-2010-007, 37 pages.
Rostock, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (February 2010)
Open Access

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between home-leaving intensities of young adults and the rapid social, economic, and demographic changes that took place in post-World War II Japan. By using event-history modeling, the study shows that the declines in sibling numbers and in rural residence discourage young adults from leaving home before marriage. The practice of stem-family norms helps to explain the delay to some extent. Finally, marriage delay has a substantial impact on later home-leaving as leaving home is closely linked with marriage in Japan.
Keywords: Japan, adulthood, economic growth, employment, event history analysis, household, marriage, modernization, school enrollment
The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. It's part of the Max Planck Society, the internationally renowned German research society.