Is the Confucian Ideal in Japan Breaking Down?

1. Is the Confucian Ideal in Japan Breaking Down? Monday, October 2, 2000

2. Papers handed back in section this week • Discuss your grade with TA (I have checked grading) • Main criteria used: • answering the question and in all its parts • answering it well • supporting interpretations with appropriate evidence • making accurate statements • use of multiple sources (lecture, reading, film) • clarity of writing (organization, grammar) • use of specific examples (at least 2/page) • correct referencing of sources • correct length

3. Reminder of two of course’s main objectives • Help you to grasp other cultures’ worldviews and values • Help you understand how these worldviews and values are affected by changes in the contemporary world • value change • value continuity

4. Change and continuity in Confucian ideal • Last week we examined Confucian ideal of filial piety and veneration of elderly • Today (and some of Wed) we will examine: • How social and demographic changes of the last 30-40 yrs have strained Confucian ideal. Why the decline in three-gen. Households from 90% in 1960 to 50-55% today? • What attitudes have resisted change.Will the three-gen. Household continue to decline? Short answer: probably not.

5. The elderly in all-night bath-houses: a sign of the times in Japan? • Heard upon leaving: “The movie wasn’t about Japan, it was about old people hanging out!” • Maybe... from American standpoint (only 4% of elderly in US live with adult children) • No, from Japanese standpoint • Mrs Kito and “not wanting to be a burden”

6. Teru: a working mom • Start of Teru’s story (for sources on people such as Teru, and their parents, see www.jinjapan.org/insight) • 44 years old • 2 children (son 13, daughter 15) • attended college • works 30 hrs week as sales representative

7. Context 1: The increase in numbers of working mothers • How it used to be • 1950s: 20% of workforce was female • worked only till late 20s, in low-status jobs • Growth in numbers of working women • 1960s struggles • Now: 42% of workforce; 60% are 40 or older • Increase in skill and authority • professionals • college educations (12% in 1975 to 25% in 1996) • present in management (4%) and small business • Still high stress

8. Teru’s fear • Teru’s dilemma • 6 years ago, mother was widowed at 66; now 72, needs much attention • 1 year ago, Teru’s father-in-law (late 70s) has come to live with his eldest son. Bedridden. • Afraid of a long stretch ahead of her, will have to sacrifice career

9. Context 2: Stresses placed by increased longevity on care-givers • 1960-1995: health reforms led to unprecedented increase in Japanese life expectancy (77 for men, 83 for women). Fastest such increase on earth. • Stress 1: prolonged care for elderly (from 5-7 years in 1960 to 15-20 years in 1995) • Stress 2: Growing percentage of elderly are netakari (bed-ridden)

10. Teru’s frustration: no help from her children • Teru • “If only I had more children!” Can’t rely on her daughter to help

11. Context 3: Stresses placed by reduced fertility rates on care-givers • Reduced rates of fertility • From 4 in 1950 to under 2 today • Stress 1: fewer helpers • Stress 2: increased possibility of woman taking care of both sets of parents

12. Teru’s feelings of shame and guilt: “farming” out her elderly charges • Teru • “I cannot handle this” • Mother to bath-house • father to geriatric hospital, maybe nursing home

13. Context 4: The stigma of nursing homes • The shame associated with nursing homes • Scarcity and waiting period • over-use of geriatric hospitals • 100,000 elderly “unnecessarily” admitted each year • 50-100% more expensive than nursing homes

14. Being distributed... • “Deepen the Topic” paper guide • Bibliographic suggestions from TAs (with my help) when you meet with them • Reading guide on Traphagan and Herskovits (on Alzheimer’s) for next week’s sections

15. Make-up sections for Monday • Steve’s section (Monday 4-4:55 pm) will meet on Tuesday, Oct 10, 7-7:55 pm, in Maxwell 108 • Sam’s 2 Monday sections will meet together on Wednesday, Oct 11, 7-7:55 in Hines 104 • Sefla’s Monday section has a special assignment

16. OK: we’ve seen the stresses. Is there another side to this story? • Re-interpreting the trend • Attitudinal surveys (see Akiko Hashimoto, The Gift of Generations: Japanse and American Perspectives on Aging and the Social Contract) • 80% still expect eventual co-residence • Closer look at statistics • 50% for above 60, 65% for above 75

17. The Gold Plan: Re-invigorating Confucianism? • 1989 and 1994: being implemented now (amid wrangling) • One of largest plans of its kind in the world: $55 billion in incentives, support and subsidies over 5 years

18. Incentives to keep elderly at home • $5 billion in tax subsidies to remodel homes to accommodate elderly • $5 billion in tax credits for families that are taking care of elderly • Larger tax credits for families dealing with bed-ridden elderly

19. Support for at-home care • Training and support for 150,000 “at-home helpers”: certified nurses trained in elder-care available at nominal cost (for elders living as couples, and for elderly living with adult children)

20. Taking up the slack • Building of “short-stay” institutions (not nursing homes) to relieve pressure from homes for 2-3 week periods • Building of 10,000 day-service centers (taking daytime pressure off home) • Building 10,000 offices in communities to offer support and counseling to at-home caretakers

21. New long-term nursing homes • Building of 100,000 new beds to relieve some pressure • BUT: • priority still given to elderly without family members to care for them • elders cared for by children given low priority

22. Question for film, “Alzheimer’s: A Multi-Cultural Perspective” • What are some of the different perspectives and feelings about “Alzheimer’s disease” shown in the film?