Targets to give men more family time
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
The government has come up with a long list of numerical targets to let men in their 30s to 40s work less and spend more time with their families.
The draft targets, if formalized, will become part of the action guidelines for helping the public balance work and private life.
The government expects the guidelines to help increase the slumping birthrate as well.
One target is to halve in 10 years the percentage of workers who put in 60 hours or more a week from 10.8 percent in 2006.
Another goal is to raise the percentage of male workers who take child-care leave to 10 percent, up from the current 0.5 percent.
The draft guidelines were presented Thursday to a task force under a high-level council working on the issue. The council consists of representatives from labor and management, Cabinet ministers and other experts.
The guidelines, as well as the "work-life balance" charter setting out general goals, are expected to be adopted in November.
The government will consider measures to achieve the targets included in the guidelines and seek cooperation from business organizations and labor unions.
The draft charter emphasizes that it is essential to review the nation's working style to maintain the vitality of society.
The numerical targets are aimed primarily at lightening the workload of men in their 30s and 40s.
To make up for the reduced work, the government has set employment-rate targets for women and elderly people.
For example, the government aims to have 69-72 percent of women between 25 and 44 in the work force in 10 years, up from the current 65 percent.
For people in the age bracket between 60 and 64, the employment-rate targets, also in 10 years, are 79-80 percent for men and 41-43 percent for women, up, respectively, from the current 67 percent and 39 percent.
The government also aims to raise the rate of women in employment after their first childbirth to 55 percent in 10 years, up from the current 38 percent.
In 2006, men with a child under 6 years old spent an average of one hour a day on child care and household chores.
The government's target in 10 years is 2 1/2 hours.
In addition, the government plans to have workers take 60 percent of their paid leave in five years, up from the current 47 percent.
It also wants to double the rate of telecommuting workers from the current 10 percent.(IHT/Asahi: October 19,2007)
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