Homebuilder Sekisui House has been talking about the prefectures' rankings in the Ikumen Power (the government's promotion of men raising children), which has been released in 2019.
In the report, Kyushu's prefectures came in at the top of the list, with Saga, Kumamoto, and Fukuoka prefectures coming in first, second, and third, respectively. I was surprised by this, too.
Men in Kyushu are known as "Kyushu boys," and their image is one of conservatism and stubbornness, with housework and child-rearing not being men's business. I was born in Fukuoka Prefecture and lived in Saga and Kumamoto Prefectures as well. so I'm a bit of a Kyushu boys. That's why I've always valued my identity as a "Kyushu boys".
It was the results of the survey that turned that image on its head, so the media, as well as myself, covered it extensively.
The survey was conducted among 9,400 men and women in their 20s to 50s who have children of elementary school age or younger nationwide, and rated their "ikumen capabilities" by prefecture based on the following four indicators.
- Wife's assessment (number of housework and childcare tasks performed by husband, do you think he is an ikumen)
- .Experience of taking childcare leave (number of days the husband has taken childcare leave)
- The amount of time my husband does housework and childcare in a week
- Happiness due to husband's participation in housework and childcare
Saga Prefecture had the highest rating for wives. Tokyo is the top city for childcare leave, though only 9.42 days per year (the national average is just 4.1 days). Tottori Prefecture is the top prefecture in terms of time spent doing housework and raising children. Kochi Prefecture is the prefecture that feels most happy with housework and childcare.
Housework and childcare is the wife's job. The clear division of roles, that it is the man's job to earn money outside the home, is breaking down.
Sekisui House's goal is to make our homes the happiest places in the world. Sekisui House's goal is to create humanistic homes and environments as a housing manufacturer that proposes happiness through housing.
Called a "corporate warrior," they are transferred or transferred alone at the drop of a hat. Not a few of you may be asking yourself whether you were happy with your life style, working long hours and leaving housework and child-rearing to your wives as a result.
I've heard that there are many people who are resistant to the word "ikumen," but in these days of today's age, I'm over 60 years old and I'm keenly aware that, in the end, the most important thing is family.
