Family Change and Housing in Post-War Japanese Society The Experiences of Older Women

This book explores the experiences of older women in post-war Japanese society through analysis of their family and housing histories. Three broad themes - family relations, welfare systems and housing - were chosen to highlight issues surrounding the changing role and position of women in the family and society. A qualitative approach is used to address a gap in the literature and to illustrate the real-life experiences of women in Japan. Many aspects of the book are comparable, or related, to studies exploring other industrial and East Asian societies and the book thus contributes to international debates surrounding housing policy, the ageing society and the changing nature of the family. It also provides useful insights into and analysis of, Japan’s society and socio-economic system.

Contents: Introduction; Social change and family change; Women and family relations; The Japanese welfare state in transition: from feudalist to post-bubble capitalist state ; Women and the welfare state; Housing and older people: impacts of housing policies and processes ; Women and housing choices; Conclusions; Bibliography; Appendices.

Misa Izuhara