International Social Science Journal (Chinese Edition)

No.3, 2022

 

Institutionalisation, standardisation and Re-standardisation of life course in contemporary Japan

(Abstract)

 

Longlong Zhang

 

After World War II, Japan carried out a series of social system reforms in education, employment, medical insurance, and annuity, and established a “Japanese System” during the period of “high economic growth” (1955-1973). Under this system, “childhood and adolescence”, “adulthood” and “old age” of life course were clearly distinguished. Japanese society realised the institutionalisation of life course, and generated two standard life course models: “Japanese salary men” and “professional housewives.” However, since the late 1980s, with the changes in Japan's social and economic structure, the life course of women in particular has shown an obvious trend of de-standardization. The influence of “professional housewives” model in Japanese society is gradually weakened.