3/24/2005

The Japanese househusbands are alread in the dictionary as “ハウスハズバンド” hausuhazubando but the media here has come up with funnier term 家事夫 (kajio, housework-husbands). I’d bet many guys would be happy to be content a Japanese housespouse: you could play tennis with your friends, going shopping, and finish a long afternoon with coffee or a hobby like learning Japanese. Ahhhhh, now that’s the life.

Househusbands ’symbolic significance’ to lift birth rate
KYOTO, Japan—”My son doesn’t make much money…” ”My daughter isn’t good at housework…”
These were the remarks made by the parents of Ryo Yamada, 37, and his wife Kazuko Nin, 42, respectively, the first time their parents got together.
After their marriage in March 1998, the arrangement of Yamada staying home in Kyoto city, doing housework and being the main caretaker of 3-year-old daughter Kanako came natural. Kazuko is an assistant professor teaching nursing care at Shiga University of Medical Science in Shiga Prefecture. ….Yamada said, ”If househusbands become a major trend, that would have symbolic significance — flexibility.”….more…