Social Work- Life Course Development
Section One: Brief Introduction
Knowledge of the family system in a society is highly integrated into the comprehension of that society. In Japan, this is particularly important since the family, as opposed to the individual, is the basic unit of Japanese society (Imamura, 2019). Family responsibilities normally take precedence over one’s personal desires, and familial relations offer the model for any social integration at every level. Additionally, the family is important in determining an individual’s life chances. In the event of a marriage, both families conduct a thorough investigation of each other, and both sides strive to increase individual prestige.
Given that marriage among adults and bearing children is considered natural in the Japanese family, individuals who are not married are considered socially unacceptable and hence are rarely considered for certain jobs. Furthermore, the Japanese believe that having an intact family enhances mature character development, and hence, most employers commonly prefer an individual raised in a household with both parents. The “economic miracle” in Japan is commonly linked to the society’s stable family system. Age and gender-related labor divisions resulted in a temporary and part-time labor pool of retirees and women. Consequently, this made it possible for firms to give “permanent employment” to only about a third of the labor force. Today, the family is still a key player in Japanese society. However, there are some differences between traditional and modern Japanese families. Japan enjoys a unique blend of both modern and traditional societies. Accordingly, discussing various aspects of Japanese society while incorporating various lifecycles is critical in understanding such a society.
Section Two: Family and Power Structure
The usual Japanese model follows the nuclear family model, but the extended family is normally kept in close proximity and visited regularly. Paternal grandparents would live with the family as they age, but the small living spaces tend to restrict multigenerational household scenarios. The family is generally patriarchal. The father or husband is the head of the family and is supposed to be the breadwinner and should receive the greatest respect from other family members (Bhuiyan, 2019). The children and the wife are expected to provide for the breadwinner’s home-life needs. In most cases, the wives would focus on domestic duties and taking care of the children.
Early/Middle Childhood
Japanese society emphasizes the need to strengthen the family through early childhood training by encouraging certain etiquette and norms among children (Bhuiyan, 2019). Through early education, these children can learn about the country’s future development. Mothers have a key role and authority over their children and influence their educational and marriage opportunities. A lot of pressure is put on the children to attain academic excellence; this is likely to weigh down on some children, especially those in wealthier families. In Japan, children are members of society, school and family, and all these institutions play a role in instructing them in social and cultural norms. The child is expected to be disciplined and self-motivated and follow every rule established by the Japanese tradition and culture (Bennett, 2017).
The “permissiveness” period normally lasts up to the age of 5, prior to which the child receives “kingly” treatment. Between 5 and 15 years, children are treated “like a slave,” and after 15, they are treated as “equal.” At 15, the child is believed to be an adult with clearly set out duties and is expected to adhere to certain rules. The Japanese believe that children have a right to know everything, enabling them to become law-abiding and disciplined citizens. Small children are allowed to act in any manner. After five years, these children enter a very rigid system of restrictions and rules that stipulate how they should act in varying scenarios. One cannot disobey since everyone is said to comply with the rules; therefore, disobedience is likely to cause one to lose their identity and be considered an outsider (Bhuiyan, 2019). Children are taught to know that “everything had its time”, which sets precedence for their lifestyles even in future.
Rite of Passage
The Japanese have a rite of passage referred to as Shichi-go-san, which means seven-five-three. This rite of passage is meant to celebrate the milestones that children of these ages have attained. 3-year-old boys and girls are celebrated during that day and allowed to grow their hair (up to that time, their hair would be kept short). At five years old, only boys are celebrated, and celebrating this age would mean wearing a hakama (traditional Japanese clothing) that signifies the beginning of adulthood for the boys. The boys from Samurai families would begin wearing kimono jackets (haori) with the family crest printed on them (Wallin, 2021). At seven years old, only girls are celebrated as they begin to wear something that resembles a traditional kimono, like an obi tie. This celebration is meant to mark the transition of the girls into womanhood. The celebration of this event is meant to thank the gods for allowing the children to overcome obstacles and illnesses that they encounter as they grow.
Adolescence
During adolescence, the roles of males and females in Japanese society are highly distinguished. In the Japanese culture, an adolescent is an individual between the ages of 14 and 25 (Nishikawa, 2009). Girls and boys in a traditional Japanese family are normally brought up differently since they need to perform varying social roles; even a Japanese saying forbids a man from entering the kitchen. The son is usually considered a source of family support in the future. The Japanese have a national holiday called “The Boys’ Day”, during which colored images of various carpets are raised in the sky, and the fish swims against the current for long periods, symbolizing the boys’ ability to overcome any obstacles in life. On the other hand, girls are educated on matters relating to house chores such as washing, cooking and sewing. These upbringing differences are observed at school since, after classes, boys are allowed to visit various clubs to further their learning. In contrast, girls sit in various cafes where they talk about dresses (Bhuiyan, 2019).
Various cultural shifts have taken place in Japan as the country transitions progressively to a rather individualistic society from a collectivistic one (Sugimura, 2020). Japanese adolescents have highly embraced this individualism and tend to pursue self-determination in a society that embraces collectivism. Some of the changes that have taken place in Japan can be evidenced by the reduced family size, single-parent households and higher divorce rates. These factors tend to affect the lives of adolescents in Japan. According to Nishikawa (2009), Japanese adolescents seem content with their relations with teachers, family, and friends but discontented with the current Japanese society, their school grade, and their individual personalities. The free time that adolescents get revolves around fulfilling schoolwork demands.
Japanese youth and adolescents receive tutorship from their parents regarding conventional cultural values. A majority of them show some form of discontentment since they do not exactly share these traditional values (Sugimura, 2020). As they experience the pressure to obtain unique features for identity development, they are also forced to be responsive to the expectations of their teachers and parents and conform to traditional social norms such as social harmony and filial piety. Most adolescents in Japan experience longer adolescence due to more years spent in education. Also, most adolescents experience a prolonged transition to work from school (Sugimura, 2020). Japanese adolescents claim to have more emotional attachments to their mothers than their fathers since they spend a lot of time with their mothers.
The link between harmony and conformity and others and self with the goals of the group is commonly reflected in the emphasis that the Japanese place on elders and the encouragement given to form strong peer group bonds (Darling et al., 2002). Compared to the US, where peer pressure is considered a negative force that threatens parental authority and collective and individual good, adults and parents in Japan deliberately encourage peer culture to reinforce societal values. However, given the high academic expectations and pressure from Japanese adolescents to perform well and the myriad of homework, Japanese adolescents do not spend as much time with peers outside school as they would like. Adolescent girls in Japan tend to be passive and compliant compared to boys, and their academic achievement expectations are also high.
Young/Middle Adulthood
Age 20 is considered the age when one officially becomes an adult in Japan. At this age, individuals are allowed to get married, drink and smoke without requiring parental consent. They are also subjected to the social responsibilities and laws that bind adults. One of the rites of passage celebrated to mark the passage into adulthood is Seijin-no-Hi, otherwise known as Coming-of-Age Day. This rite of passage encourages young women and men who have acquired the legal adulthood age to fulfill their adult responsibilities and become dependable societal members. Initially, this rite was celebrated when a girl turned 13 and 15 for a boy (Takiguchi, 2021).
Adulthood Roles and Expectations
There have been major changes in the family forms of Japan’s society. During the 20th century, strict gender-based role divisions in which a hierarchy by birth and the patriarchal head were present. This type of family was based on a “stem” family system where one child, normally the eldest son, would remain in the household when the parents aged and take care of them. The rest of the sons were expected to move out and establish their branch households, which would be subordinate to the main family. Economic interdependence would determine the extent of subordination (Imamura, 2019). Daughters were expected to get married to other families, and the woman who would get married to the eldest son would be considered the lowest in the hierarchy. Her main role was to give birth to heirs, and she was supposed to learn the ways of the new household under the training of the mother-in-law. Eventually, she was expected to take part in the family business and care for her aged parents-in-law. In traditional Japan, the most important thing was to preserve the family and its wealth.
The traditional Japanese family includes a father, a mother and two children. Family roles were majorly differentiated in the past, with the wife being a homemaker and the husband being a breadwinner. The man demanded unquestionable obedience and headed the family and every member in it. In the current society, partly due to the Western cultural influence, most Japanese women strive to combine both family and work roles. However, the issue of gender equality is still far off. During the 1990s, when there were major demographic shifts and economic slowdowns, Japanese society experienced major changes. For instance, the rate of marriages reduced, whereas divorce increased (Araújo Nocedo, 2012). Cohabitation increased, and the usual three-generation household reduced. Furthermore, more young women and men remained single and lived with their parents. The role of women also changed as more women started working, and both sexes were forced to play a role in homemaking.
Today, there is an increase in emphasis on the “wise mother” and “good wife” portrayal as one who can perform the home-making role of raising children and taking care of the in-laws while at the same time being able to seek work outside the home so as to chip in the structure and economy of the country (Belarmino & Roberts, 2019). Whereas studying skills that would promote the role of women at home was encouraged, higher education and sexual health continue to be rare in the Japanese culture, making it difficult for women to pursue careers outside home-making (Belarmino & Roberts, 2019). A woman’s worth continues to be placed on her ability to find a male partner, which places more dominance on males in Japanese society. Traditional gender roles necessitate women to be submissive and supportive of their male partners to be termed a “good wife” based on societal standards (Belarmino & Roberts, 2019). The Japanese culture considers women inferior to men and considers them insignificant, but they are required to be modest and virtuous in their actions. With such a patriarchal attitude, there is a high tendency toward violence against women who are considered to have failed to meet societal expectations.
Even though traditional norms are not strictly applied in Japanese society today, individualistic norms are not fully practiced either. Gender-based labor divisions are still common as husbands play the breadwinning role while wives remain primarily in charge of the home. The participation of women outside the home increases progressively. However, their role in children’s education is still key as they are expected to monitor their children’s homework, attend various school functions and be fully engaged in the child’s academic work (Imamura, 2019). Since the husband’s work is not to be interfered with, such roles continue to be played by the wife. Presently, schools have started to schedule more visits on Sundays to enable Japanese fathers to attend and play a bigger role in their children’s lives since most of them are considered absent husbands and fathers with no place at home. Additionally, some workplaces have started to consider giving paternal leave to fathers to break the stereotypical and prejudiced gender roles (Nishimura, 2021).
Rite of Passage
The rite of marriage is commonly celebrated once individuals attain the legal adulthood age in Japan. Various rituals are normally performed during the marriage rite. For instance, the wedding rite begins with a Sanshin ceremony (procession) when a Shinto maiden and ritual musicians lead the groom and bride together with other participants into the shrine. Purification is then conducted, and then a priest announces the wedding to the gods to seek blessings. Once the announcement is complete, a Shinto maiden performs a dance dedicated to the kami-Kaguramai (shrine spirit). Then, a symbolic act is performed whereby the groom, bride, and their parents exchange nuptial cups containing rice wine and drink three times from it. The first drink is symbolic of the union between the groom, bride and the parents. The second symbolizes three human flaws: ignorance, passion, and hatred, and the third drink symbolizes the strong bond generated between the couple’s relatives. Over the past few years, there has been a mix-up between Western and traditional Japanese wedding elements, which marks a major change in the cultural identity of the Japanese as it gives rise to an elaborate, highly commercialized and multifaceted event in modern Japanese society.
Later Adulthood
Old age begins at 60 in Japanese society. The elderly are highly valued and respected in Japanese society. Japan forms the topmost proportion in terms of elderly citizens in the world. Some older adults continue to work, and in most workplaces, individuals get promoted in order of their seniority, with a greater preference for adult men. Old age implies a time when individuals relax from their social obligations, receive respectful treatment and care from their family members and can help out in the family business.
Rites of Passage
The rite of eldership is of utmost significance among the Japanese since the elders are associated with wisdom and tradition and hence play the role of role models for the younger generation. The Japanese folks claim that elders become ancestors, act as the link between God and humans, and can be called upon when needed. The rite of eldership begins to be celebrated from 60 to 111. The 60th birthday marks the first initiation into eldership (Batkalova & Galiev, 2016). It is believed that individuals who reach this age and complete a full zodiac cycle have attained a “rebirth.” During such celebrations, the elderly put on symbolic baby attire (red cup and red vest) as newborn babies do.
Old age is when individuals near their deaths, and therefore, certain rituals are normally performed to crown eldership and the transition into death. In the Japanese culture, death marks the moment when an individual’s soul departs as they move on to the next life. The Japanese believe that the dead’s spirit is nearby and may visit the loved ones at certain times during the year, like the Obon season. Some believe that the dead’s soul roams around in mountains, wild places and caves and might appear as spirits or ghosts when the dead’s world overlaps with the living’s.
The Shinto funeral is among the common traditions and rituals in death. Once a loved one dies, the family members are expected to cover their customary Shinto shrine to protect it from other spirits. After informing other people, they perform a purification ritual. This process involves washing the lips of the deceased, purifying the space and bringing food offerings to the dead until they get buried. The Festival Obon is another key cultural event that occurs every July to commemorate the dead by visiting their gravesites and cleaning the gravestones (Oliveto, 2020). Lamps are also lit to help guide the spirits. When the Japanese grieve, they also confide in each other, especially a priest.
Section Three: Implications for Further Research and Social Work Practice
Social workers need to be able to move from the awareness of their individual cultural heritage to enhance their awareness of other people’s cultural heritage. Such cultural awareness makes it possible for them to celebrate and value differences in other people and show cultural differences, competence and comfort. According to the National Association of Social Workers (2015), it is important that social workers demonstrate an understanding of their client’s cultures, recognize the strengths of every culture, and provide services that are sensitive to their clients’ cultures. It has been shown that the Japanese culture is highly family-oriented and collectivistic. The Japanese culture has also been very patriarchal, which is likely to propagate incidences of violence against women since they are considered inferior to men. One of the most important questions that needs to be explored is, “What role does the Japanese patriarchal norm play in gender-based violence in the country?” It is also important to perform an additional inquiry into the question, “How does the absence of fathers and husbands from homes affect the well-being of children and wives?”
It is common for highly patriarchal societies to record high incidents of gender-based violence, particularly when the role of women in society is highly looked down upon. Most women in Japanese society tend to perform homely duties alone. Consequently, when they explore careers outside the family, they face various obstacles, including failure to get promoted to managerial positions after childbirth (Nishimura, 2021). As a result, this diminishes their power and authority, and they may be subject to violence, particularly when they fail to meet the societal expectations of a “good wife” or “good mother.” At the micro-level, it would be important for social workers to look into the family dynamics of the Japanese family while resolving such problems as domestic violence as reported by a client. Subsequently, this will help highlight some of the issues that encourage gender-based or domestic violence, and a suitable solution can be sought. At the macro level, the social worker should consider being an advocate of change to help improve the position of women in Japanese society. The social worker should also empower them to take up more roles at work and ensure that there are policies that will help promote the welfare of women at wor
References
Araújo Nocedo, A. M. (2012). The “good wife and wise mother” pattern: gender differences in today‘s Japanese society. Crítica Contemporánea. Revista de Teoría Política, 2, 156-169.
Batkalova, K., & Galiev, A. (2016). Rites of Passage in Japanese Traditional Culture. The International Conference on Japan & Japan Studies 2016 Official Conference Proceedings.
Belarmino, M., & Roberts, M. R. (2019). Japanese gender role expectations and attitudes: A qualitative analysis of gender inequality. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 20(7), 272-288.
Bennett, L. (2017). Expectations for Japanese Children. http://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/publications/yl/1003/100306.html#:~:text=Children%20in%20Japan%20are%20members,by%20Japanese%20culture%20and%20tradition.
Bhuiyan, Z.A. (2019). The Early Education in Japanese Society: Morality and Etiquette issues. Research Gate
Darling, N., Hamilton, S., Toyokawa, T., & Matsuda, S. (2002). Naturally occurring mentoring in Japan and the United States: Social roles and correlates. American journal of community psychology, 30(2), 245-270.
Imamura, A.E. (2019). The Japanese Family. Asia Society.
National Association of Social Workers. (2015). Standards and Indicators for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice. https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=PonPTDEBrn4%3D#:~:text=Social%20workers%20need%20to%20be,demonstrate%20comfort%20with%20cultural%20differences.
Nishikawa, S. (2009). Japanese adolescents’ self-concept and well-being in comparison with other countries (Doctoral dissertation).
Nishimura, C. (2021, January 16). We don’t need to think about gender roles anymore – The importance of a genderless work style that goes beyond masculinity and femininity. https://www.jnpoc.ne.jp/en/other/we-dont-need-to-think-about-gender-roles-anymore/
Oliveto, J. (2020, April 4). How Does Japanese Culture View Death & Dying? Cake. https://www.joincake.com/blog/japanese-attitude-toward-death/#:~:text=Traditional%20Japanese%20attitudes%20towards%20death,not%20far%20from%20our%20own.
Sugimura, K. (2020). Adolescent identity development in Japan. Child Development Perspectives, 14(2), 71-77.
Takiguchi, T. (2021, January 11). Coming-of-Age Day Incites Rite of Passage in Japan. Japan Stripes. https://japan.stripes.com/community-news/coming-age-day-incites-rite-passage-japan#:~:text=%E2%80%9CSeijin%2Dshiki%2C%E2%80%9D%20or,1%20the%20next%20year%2C%20attend.
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Question 
PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT:
This paper allows you to provide a written analysis of the family life cycle from one perspective of culture, nationality, ethnicity, social class, or diverse family form. You will work from a multi-contextual framework to explore the following life stages: early/middle childhood, adolescence, young adulthood/middle adulthood, and later adulthood.
Social Work- Life Course Development
YOUR PAPER SHOULD CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS:
Section 1: A brief description of the culture, nationality, ethnicity, social class, or diverse family form that you will focus on in this assignment
Section 2: A discussion of the unique aspects of development (roles, expectations, gender differences, socialization processes, power structure in family, views on extended family/community and social connections, parenting practices, marriage roles, death and grieving process, etc.); and transition makers (rituals, rites of passage, beliefs, customs, values, etc.) for all of the life stages listed above. You do not need to cover all of these, but it is important for you to provide a thorough analysis of all of the life stages for your respective population.
Section 3: Implications for further research and social work practice. Discuss pertinent questions that require further exploration. Also, how could the information discovered be used in social work micro and macro practice?
Requirements for References: Please use at least 10 peer-reviewed journal articles from the academic social science literature. Please do not use the course text as a reference for this assignment.
Submitted papers must be 11–12 pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages), double-spaced, written in Times New Roman font, have 1-inch margins, and adhere to APA style.