Can Japan Aspire to a Gender-Equal Society? Japanese Male and Female Students’ Attitudes Regarding Marriage and Gender Roles in Family and Society

The present paper addresses the ongoing issue of gender disparities in Japan. It seeks to gauge the attitudes and aspirations of Japanese college students regarding marriage, children, gender roles and participation in the workforce and in the household. A survey was conducted among male and female college students enrolled at national, public, and private higher education institutions in Tokyo and central Japan. Our results suggest that although marriage and the male breadwinner model continue to be mainstays in Japanese society, both male and female students have positive aspirations regarding marriage and children, and hold more egalitarian views regarding gender roles in the workforce and family.