The Perils of Single Life in Contemporary Japan

A comparison of mortality patterns by marital status in 16 industrialized countries revealed that levels of mortality experienced by single Japanese have been staggeringly high in comparison with those of married Japanese or of singles elsewhere. A variety of data sources are used to explore several explanations for the Japanese mortality pattern. Evidence from anthropological studies and attitudinal surveys indicates that marriage is likely to have been and probably continues to be more selective with regard to underlying health characteristics in Japan than elsewhere. Causal explanations related to the importance of marriage and the family in Japanese society probably contribute to the excess mortality of the single population.