• Korea journal of population studies
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.55-72
• /
• 2012

Few studies have done on the intergenerational relations of married women and their own parents in Japan. This study approaches the topic by examining coresidence and contact frequency between generations. The study expects the likelihood of living together (including living next door) and the extent of contact would differ by the characteristics of woman, her husband, children, her brothers and sisters, her own parents and parents-in-law. From the 2003 Survey for National Family Research in Japan, selected are 853 currently married women in their 30s and 40s whose parent and parents-in-law are alive. The analysis shows that the likelihood of living together with parents decreases as the number of brothers and sisters increases. In particular, the presence of brother substantially decreases the likelihood. Having father only alive (vs. having both parents alive) also increases the likelihood. The frequency of contact with parents is conditioned by the coresidence with parents-in-law. It also differs by the level of education and its gap between spouses. Subjective evaluation of husband's attitude toward her parents is important. As in the case of living together, the number of brothers and sisters and the survival status of parents are significant in explaining the frequency of contact with her parents. The results indicate that number of brothers and sisters as well as widowhood of parents serves as its demographic condition. The findings that the frequency of contact with parent are affected by coresidene with parents-in-law, education gap between spouses and husband's attitude toward her parents suggest that the relationship of married women with her own parents are conditioned by her husband and his parents.