Introduction

In East Asia, caring for children, frail older people and people with disabilities has long been seen primarily as a family responsibility. As discussed in Chapter Two, however, Japan and Taiwan are currently experiencing extremely low birth rates and both countries have initiated paid parental leave policies as one measure to address this. In addition, Japan has the highest percentage of older people in the world (23% of its population), while in Taiwan, the percentage of older people is also set to rise dramatically, from 11% in 2010 to an anticipated 24% by 2030 (see Chapter One). In both countries, Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) schemes are seen as the policy solution: Japan launched its LTCI scheme in 2000 and Taiwan is set to follow suit in the near future. With the employment rate of women rising in both countries – in 2010, reaching 60% in Japan and 54% in Taiwan (see Chapter One) – how to assist women to reconcile care and work has become an important issue in both societies. The extent to which lifelong parent-carers of disabled children, particularly mothers, are juggling care and work is nevertheless a novel topic in all East Asian countries, including Taiwan and Japan.

This chapter focuses on the reconciliation of work and care for parent-carers, especially mothers, in Taiwan and Japan. It starts with an overview of the prevalence of disability, revealing the extent to which disabled people are cared for at home by their parents. This is followed by a brief summary of the rights and entitlements of disabled people and their families, as set out in the welfare systems of these two countries (see also Chapter Two). Detailed case material from interviews with mothers of children with disabilities is then presented to explore how women in each country reconcile paid work with caring for a disabled child. In conclusion, the chapter considers contemporary policy developments and debates affecting parent-carers in Taiwan and Japan and reflects on the effectiveness of reconciliation policies and the implications of the policy changes planned in the two countries.

Family care responsibilities in Taiwan and Japan

As noted in Chapter Two, Taiwan's Civil Code places responsibility for the care of people with disabilities – both children and adults – on lineal family members: parents, siblings and children.