Much has changed in the modern Japanese family - the position of women, the relationship of spouses in raising children, determining the priority features of the Japanese character that need to be raised, and so on. The article is devoted to these changes in family education, which are closely related to the development of civil society in Japan.

The traditions of family upbringing and the choice of parenting priorities largely determine the cultural and civil identity of a nation and its history. Family education is a "variable" value, it reflects changes in the socio-political life of society and international relations of the country"¹. In Japan, research on family education and social behavior skills has been carried out regularly over the past ²⁰ years2.

In Russia, issues of upbringing in a Japanese family were mainly addressed in connection with the study of the history and culture of Japan, ³ with a comparative analysis of vocational training, ⁴ or reflections on the psychology and national character of the Japanese. ⁵ A new area of research has also been initiated - personal education in Japan by means of performing arts in the XX century. ⁶

JAPANESE PARENTS TODAY

It is known that three-quarters of the child's character is formed in the family. A recent survey conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Security found that about 60% of fathers and 70% of mothers are unable to answer the question of how best to raise their children.⁷ Among the topics that parents were most concerned about were the development of children's education, social behavior, health, friends, mental and physical development of children (slowness in learning spoken language, for example), crime, absenteeism, and sexual behavior. When asked what can inspire the greatest trust in children, most fathers indicated frequent contact with children, and most mothers indicated the help of family members.

For modern Japanese parents, moral and ethical values remain the most important in raising children, among which gratitude to the mother and respect for the father are in the first place.

A hundred years ago in Japan, a child often saw his father at home. Now it is rather rare, and mothers explain to their children that the intensive work of the father is undertaken for the benefit of the family. Today, when many fathers spend most of their lives in the office, the time they can devote to their families is extremely limited. Work in this case is a forced necessity, and this must be accepted. And, of course, Japanese wives do not criticize their husbands if they prefer to relax on weekends, explain to their children why this is so important. Mothers feel it is their duty to explain to their children that earning a living can be very difficult, and that their father patiently endures difficulties in order to provide the family with everything they need.

In Japan, it is said that a father does not raise his voice to his children more than three times in a lifetime. Of course, he takes a firm position on all important issues. The mother often reminds the children that even if their father didn't react to this or that event, he still cares about the family.

Traditionally, a Japanese woman works before getting married, and after getting married, she is engaged in raising children, while always remaining attentive to her husband. Each of the spouses fulfills their duties responsibly. This ensures that children grow up to be full-fledged members of society.

The mother strives to create a home environment of warmth and spiritual comfort for each family member. However, these concepts should not be understood as identical.-

What the magazine wrote about 10 years ago

"The patriotic forces of Russia should actively influence our diplomats and force them to abandon far-fetched "Initiatives" in their offices and other ostentatious vanity in a territorial dispute that is obviously unpromising and unnecessary for us. It is time for our restless Foreign Ministry officials to understand long ago that the Southern Kuril Islands are an integral part of Russian territory, and therefore all unprincipled bidding with the Japanese about their ownership should be stopped once and for all. Otherwise, the slide of Russian diplomacy on an inclined plane will end in a crime before the Russian people - the shameful illegal surrender of the Southern Kuril Islands to Japan."

I. Latyshev. Once again on the Territorial Dispute (Asia and Africa Today, 1997, No. 8)

page 101

in the case of permissiveness and licentiousness of behavior. Sometimes there is a need for strict punishment of the child, but in Japan, under the age of three, they still try not to punish children and not restrict their freedom of behavior in a public place.

Here it is appropriate to quote the statement of the correspondent of the French "Figaro" in Japan K. M. Jurgenson: "When I see how my Japanese friends raise their children, I always think that they are very soft towards them... I often hear Japanese mothers say that before their children grow up and are released into this ruthless world, they want to let them do whatever they want for as long as possible. I think this is fair... But what I find baffling is how Japanese children who are selfish by nature suddenly change at the age of four, five, or six when they start school. If the child had been brought up like this in France, he would probably have been an outstanding person. However, this is the norm in Japan. For me, this is a sign of cultural difference. " ⁸

This statement indicates the effectiveness of education in a Japanese family. Compared to European parents, Japanese parents are more diligent and persistent in their upbringing, and, most notably, much quieter. As another Frenchman, who worked for 30 years as a correspondent for the newspaper "Monde", writes: "the Japanese are really more attentive to their children. They are willing to spend more than 10 minutes explaining to a small child the questions they are interested in. Even taking into account the difference in the use of time and in the intensity of parental employment in France and Japan, it should be recognized that Japanese parents spend much more time explaining. In Japan, parents and toddlers are closely connected to each other, like two parts of a whole."⁹

Family education (or rather, its absence) is of key importance in the emergence of such problems as juvenile delinquency, violence in schools, and suicide. In Japan, children were traditionally considered gifts from the gods. The ability to understand children is of great importance to parents. Japanese parents and teachers know how to distinguish mistakes that require immediate correction from those that children will be able to correct themselves as they get older. From generation to generation, Japanese people pass on the basic commandment of education-to remain impartial and educate children, highlighting and developing positive character traits.

In Japan, there is a "Parents ' Association", which, recalling the basic precepts of Confucian morality and Buddhism, calls for loving each other, maintaining mutual respect, which is the basis of love and harmony. The philosophy of family life in Japan is based on Confucian morality, respect for the older in age and experience.

The house should become a place of relaxation and restoration of spiritual strength, a place of worship of the gods and Buddha, which is an integral part of the spiritual foundation of the Japanese. Such a lifestyle contributes to spiritual well-being, a sense of self-sufficiency and the desire for further improvement.

JAPANESE CHARACTER EDUCATION PRIORITIES

Fifteen character traits in terms of their importance in parenting were studied by the Eurasia Political Culture Research Network (EPCReN) in Japan, Denmark, and Kore10.

Good manners and responsibility are given a lot of attention around the world (about 95% of respondents considered these qualities "rather important" and "very important").

Tolerance, respect, and determination also have great support.

Independence is considered an important criterion, but the Danes considered that modern youth have more than enough independence, so they defined it as less significant than representatives of other countries participating in the vote-Japan and Korea.

Perseverance is another widely recognized quality, but it is less important for the Japanese, who consider it an integral part of everyday life.

Creativity is considered an important quality. Highly appreciated in Korea, where the perceived lack of creativity is a social problem.

Independence is considered a very important quality in Denmark and Japan, but not so important in Korea, where it can be seen as a sign of selfishness.

Restraint is considered the most important quality in Korea, and the least important in Denmark, and ambition is the same.

Four other traits are considered "not very important", although there are options.

Thrift is considered an important trait in Korea, less important in Japan, and not very important in Denmark. This fluctuation may be related to the standard of living and lifestyle of the three countries being compared.

Selflessness is perceived as a fairly important quality in Japan, to a lesser extent in Denmark, and as relatively unimportant in Korea.

Obedience is not considered very important. However, it is still surprising that compared to Japan and Korea, Denmark took the lead in the number of votes in defense of this quality. From what we know in the literature and from personal observation, such reactions probably mostly reflect ideals rather than reality.

The last item submitted for consideration is religiosity. In all three countries, this criterion of human personality is considered not very important. In Denmark, 36% of respondents put it at the level of "not important at all". For Japan and Korea, this figure is 20%.

For modern Japanese, the most important thing is the education of an independent person, which in this regard causes not so much a decrease in obedience, but even its absence. This quality, which is characteristic of Western young people-both students and employees (both Europeans and Americans), is new to the Japanese personality, and today occupies a leading position in the rating of surveys. It indicates a change in priorities not only in family ethics, but also in professional ethics, i.e. in the management system and personnel policy of firms and enterprises in Japan, as opposed to the principle of social responsibility.

page 102

in relation to the "East Asian family", when the subordination of the younger to the older is required, and the place of work is a family for the employee, when obedience is required. Probably, this is also the reason for religiosity (in particular, following Shinto - the "way of the gods") in the first decade of the XXI century. it is not an essential quality for a modern Japanese person.

However, do not forget that traditional education is still important for the Japanese, and parents still strive to instill in their children selflessness, diligence in study and work, ethics and aesthetics of everyday and social behavior, responsibility to the family and the company.

Japanese children study really hard, they attend prep classes, tutors, etc. Little Japanese people come home from prep school around 11 pm. Children are like athletes, and mothers are their mentors, supporting their wards in everything.

GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCIAL INITIATIVES IN DEMOGRAPHY AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Recently, Japan has been very concerned about two interrelated phenomena-a rapid drop in the birth rate and an aging population. According to the National Institute for the Study of Demography and Social Security, the population over 65 will increase from 17.4% in 2000 to 35.7% in 2050, and those aged 14 to 65 will decrease from 14.6% to 10.8%¹¹.

Given the serious problems that such trends can lead to, the Government has put forward a number of proposals to improve the situation. Japan began by adopting the social program "XXI century-the era of the family" and a number of programs that could help to increase the integration of the Japanese young generation and Japanese women into the public life of the country.

The number of working women in Japan is steadily increasing. Existing social support programs for women seeking to combine work and raising children are still insufficient. For most of them, the level of salary is a more important factor than the amount of free time they could devote to raising children, and this inevitably leads to a decrease in the birth rate.

Aware of the need to introduce new programs to support working mothers, in 2004 the Government issued the so-called "Law on Social Security for workers who take care of children". According to it, the number of employees who are entitled to take maternity leave now includes temporary employees who have worked for one employer for more than one year. The law guarantees them the opportunity to return to work after the end of maternity leave, and also extends its term to 18 months.

The private sector is also taking initiatives to improve conditions for working parents. One of the leaders in this field is a giant in the production of cosmetics - the company "Sisaido"¹². This is partly due to the fact that 68% of its 14,000 employees are women. Over the years, the company has taken steps to help its employees balance work and parenting responsibilities. In 1988, Shisaido was the first company in Japan to introduce flexible working hours for its employees. In addition, it extends maternity leave for up to three years, which is significantly more than what is prescribed by law. Sisaido also provides its employees on maternity leave with an interactive distance learning experience in the following areas:

page 103

areas such as computers and foreign languages.

"Women on maternity leave tend to feel lonely and anxious about a normal recovery at work," explains Kiyoko Yamagiwa, Deputy General manager of Shisaido. - When the work is organized efficiently, employees have more time to deal with personal matters. This includes more opportunities for raising children, self-education, or charity work. This, in turn, has a positive effect on the quality of work performed."

Another important event on the way to improving the demographic situation was the organization of annual conferences held with the participation of many large companies. At such conferences, issues related to improving the conditions for raising children and correcting the current situation are discussed. For example, in 2004, 35 large companies organized a joint effort to actively involve men in raising children.

The commercial benefits of such activities have prompted some private companies to develop their business in this direction. For example, Pigeon, the main supplier of children's goods, started providing such services in 1993. Later, in 1996, it expanded the scope of its activities and opened a nanny training service. As of February 2006, Pigeon provided similar services to most of the leading national companies and 133 hospitals.

Pigeon's research department has developed a strategy for implementing child care centers in all cities of Japan. They are supposed to teach children English and the basics of knowledge about the world from an early age. "Businesses are becoming increasingly interested in improving the parenting environment, "says Nakata Mikki, Pigeon's planning secretary. "The number of companies creating their own children's institutions is growing every year, and this trend will continue."

In Japan, preschool institutions have traditionally been state-owned and run by local governments. However, the trend of transferring the management of these institutions to private hands, which has been observed recently, has benefited them. "The total number of state prospective day care centers for children is about 12 thousand," explains Nakata Miki. - Our company, having taken control of most of them, has been a leader in this field for the last half-century. This allows you to keep global statistics on the state of human resources, which is very popular with employers. What we call "pigeon care" ¹³.

Drawing conclusions from all of the above, it is safe to say that creating favorable conditions for parents raising children in Japan is a necessity that is recognized by both the state and the private sector. The above-mentioned programs are the main ones, but not the only ones in solving the long-term problem of creating a "civil nation". It is noteworthy that such a problem is now acute in Russia, and it may be worth considering borrowing the positive experience of Japan.

¹ The term "identity" (Lat. "identificare" - to identify) was introduced into scientific circulation by Freud to explain the early forms of emotional life of the infant (quoted from: Kolotaev V. A. Filosofsko-esteticheskaya problematika kul'turnoy identichnosti / / Iskusstvo v kontekste civilizatsionnoy identichnosti. Vol. 2. Moscow, State Institute of Art Studies. 2006. p. 119).

² Kaiga keiku no ninjunen. (Art education of children for 20 years. Collection of articles). Tokyo, Bunka sose hakubunsha. 1977.

^{Voitishek E. E.} 3rd Place of intellectual card games in the traditional spiritual culture of Japan. Dis. for the degree of Candidate of Historical Sciences. Novosibirsk. 2002; Zhukova I. V. On the formation of the main phenomena of the Japanese language and poetic culture of Japan (IV-XXI centuries) 2nd ed. Moscow, Moscow State University. 2005; Serdyuk E. A. Destinies of landscape thinking in the Japanese art of the new time / / Man and world in Japanese Culture, Moscow, 1985. pp. 183-195.

^{Zhukova A.V.} 4 Classical ballet and Modern dance in Japan. 2006. pp. 29-32; Zhukova A.V. Traditional dance in Japan. 2005. p. 47-77; Gvozdevskaya G. A. Muzykalnoe vospitanie v stranakh Vostoka v kontekste filosofsko-mirovozrencheskikh traditsii periodov drevnosti i srednevekovye [Musical education in the countries of the East in the context of philosophical and ideological traditions of the periods of antiquity and the Middle Ages]. 1999.

^{Pronnshov V. A., Ladanov I. D.} 5 The Japanese (ethnopsychological essays). Moscow, "ViM". 1996.

^{Zhukov A. V.} 6 Klassicheskiy balet [Classical Ballet] ... pp. 11-22.

^{Nishiko Niwano.} 7 Риссхо-Косей-Кай. 2007 - www.amazon.com/Modern-Meditati-ons-Bud-dhist-Nichiko-Niwano/dp/4333014778-96k

⁸ www.yoke.or.jp/they-oke/no.94/fl.html

⁹ Ibid.

¹⁰ wwwjmsJai.dk/epcren/gcod/children.htm.

¹¹ www.jetro.go.jp/en/market/trends/topi c/2005_04_children.htm.

¹² Ibid.

¹³ Ibid.

Permanent link to this publication: