Syousika to Oyako Kankei ni Kansuru Tyousa

Outline

This survey was performed in Tokyo as part of an international project. This survey was undertaken by the Japan Society of Family Sociology, National Family Research Study Group (led by Watanabe Hideki, professor at Keio University) on behalf of the Asian Women’s Forum. The objective of this survey was to gather the Tokyo data for a comparison of the declining birth rate and parent-child relations in Tokyo, Shenzhen (China), and Singapore. This survey targeted men and women who are currently parents and inquired about the daily interaction between parents and children, their view of themselves as parents, their view on raising children, and other questions that would allow a comparison between the three cities. The survey also examined the trend in the declining birth rate and the current realities and difficulties of becoming a parent or being a parent.
Survey name
Syousika to Oyako Kankei ni Kansuru Tyousa
Survey organizer
Japan Society of Family Sociology, NFR Kenkyuukai [National Family Research Study Group]
Subjects
Men and women between age 30 and 49 with children age 6 to 15 living in Tokyo’s 23 Wards
Sample size
400 pepole (surveyed 247, response rate 61.8 %)
Survey period
January 1997
Survey area
Tokyo’s 23 Wards
Sampling method
Two-stage random sampling with probability proportional to size (sampling took place in December 1996). Subjects were selected through an initial sampling of children 6 to 15 years of age from the “Municipal Code List” from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Statistics Bureau, and then further selecting those whose parents were aged 30 to 49.
Survey method
Leave and pick-up

Questions

1. Respondents basic attributes
Gender; age; family structure within the residence; marital status; number of children and their genders; education, employment status, job type, and annual income for the respondent and the respondent’s spouse; type of domicile; status of children’s room
2. Information about children (for the 1st to 4th child)
Gender; age; living together/separately; school/work status; daily life with children; day care for babies and toddlers; bedroom for babies and toddlers; house chores for children; education costs for children
3. Husband-wife relations
Time for adults; frequency and topics of communication with spouse; discussion of birth and birth control; person in charge of education
4. Father’s and mother’s perception of the parent/child relationship
Number of respondent’s siblings and their gender; discipline by parents; parent’s viewpoint of discipline; import roles of the parents; the significance of raising children; things that are important in your life; the education you desire for your children; awareness of the parent/child relationship; degree of satisfaction with your life (12 items); agreement with popular beliefs regarding the parent/child relationship; future assistance for children; lifestyles you hope your child does not choose
5. Concerns and problems regarding child rearing and support for child care
A person with whom you can discuss concerns and problems regarding raising children, outside support in child care
6. Declining birth rate and the parent/child relationship
Ideal number of children, expected number of children, preferred gender, effects of the declining birth rate on raising children, infrastructure needed to raise the ideal number of children

Data and Results