In Japan, a very small percentage of children are born out of wedlock, typically around 2-4%, making it one of the lowest rates globally, with recent data from 2023 showing approximately 2.4%. This low rate reflects strong cultural values linking marriage with childbirth, leading to a high correlation between marriage and births, unlike many Western nations where out-of-wedlock births are far more common.
By contrast, in five OECD countries (Greece, Israel, Japan, Korea and Türkiye), fewer than 10% of children are born outside of marriage. In Japan, Korea and Türkiye, the rate is as low as 2 to 4%.
Latin American countries such as Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico, and European countries such as Iceland and France have very high out-of-wedlock birth rates of more than 50%. In these countries, unmarried births are socially and culturally common, suggesting that births outside marriage are socially acceptable.
An illegitimate child has rights and duties in relation to his/her legal parents, prescribed by the Civil Code of Japan on the parent-child relationship including a right to be supported and duty to support them as well as the inheritance rights enjoyed by the first-order inheritor.
So, we go from seven out of ten for African Americans, to one out of ten for Asian Americans; from a little less than three out of ten for whites, to a little more than five out of ten for Hispanics.
Key Takeaways
The fertility rate in the United States in 2023 was 54.5 per 1,000 women ages 15-44. Of all live births in the United States during 2021-2023 (average), 25.3% were Hispanic, 50.5% were White, 13.9% were Black, 0.7% were American Indian/Alaska Native and 6.2% were Asian/Pacific Islander.
The "3 Date Rule" in Japan refers to the cultural tendency to make a formal love confession (kokuhaku) on or around the third date, marking the transition from casual dating to an official couple, often after building trust with lighter activities like meals or walks, and it's considered a crucial step for clarifying relationship status before deeper intimacy, though it's a guideline, not a strict law.
The "Japan 5-minute rule" refers to extreme punctuality, meaning you should arrive 5 minutes before a scheduled time (e.g., 9:55 AM for a 10:00 AM meeting) to be considered "on time," as being exactly on time is seen as late, showing respect and reliability; it's part of the Japanese concept of go-fun-mae koudou (five-minute prior action). This emphasis on being early is deeply cultural, contrasting with many Western norms, and applies to business, appointments, and even trains, where delays over 5 minutes warrant apologies and certificates.
This would suggest that the average modern day Japanese is descended from about 16% of the population of the 6th c Japan. This, contrary to expectations, is less inbreeding than for the other regions/countries. The value for Japan, using the known value of R for Japan, is 0.91%.
The proportion of births born outside marriage has remained steady since the late 2000s, although an upward trend has emerged in the last few years. In 2020, 36% of births were outside marriage. The size of Australian families has become smaller with women having fewer children in general.
LivEQuality--Affordable Housing for Single Mothers in Japan. As of 2021, there are nearly 1.2 million single-mother families in Japan, out of which 23,000 are in Nagoya.
The leading cause of death in Japan is consistently cancer (malignant neoplasms), accounting for about 30% of all deaths, followed by heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases (stroke), and pneumonia, with aging-related conditions like Alzheimer's also rising due to Japan's aging population. While cardiovascular diseases (heart disease, stroke) are significant, cancer has been the top killer since the 1980s, with lung, stomach, and colon cancers being prominent.
Alternatively, the divorce rate in Japan is low compared to the U.S. and Europe because dependency between the spouses is greater, alternatives to marriage are fewer, and the legacy of the traditional gender division of labor continues to influence the actions and attitudes of men and women.
The Japanese 80% rule, known as "Hara Hachi Bu", is a Confucian principle advising people to stop eating when they feel about 80% full, not completely stuffed, to support health and longevity. This practice encourages mindful eating, helps prevent overeating, and is linked to lower rates of illness and longer lifespans, particularly observed in Okinawan centenarians. It involves slowing down during meals, listening to your body's fullness cues, and appreciating food as fuel rather than indulging to the point of discomfort.
Japanese tend not to eat while walking along or standing around on the street. However, it is acceptable to drink while standing aside vending machines, which are ubiquitous in Japan. Eating and drinking on local trains is also frowned upon, but not long distance express trains such as the Shinkansen bullet train.
Thanks to a historically weak yen, the U.S. dollar goes quite far in Japan, making food, local transport, and cultural sites surprisingly affordable, though high-end hotels and bullet trains still cost significantly in dollar terms; expect about 155-156 yen per dollar, allowing for cheap convenience store snacks, budget ramen for around $10, and museum entries under $5, making it a great value trip for U.S. travelers.
Japanese couples tend to detach sexual pleasure from family life. They feel satisfied with their partner in their role as a wife or husband, but they do not expect the maintenance of their joint sexual intimacy over time.
Yes, $5,000 is generally more than enough for a single person for a week in Japan, even covering flights from North America/Europe, allowing for comfortable mid-range travel with nice meals and experiences, but it might be tight for a couple or if you're aiming for extreme luxury or extensive shopping; budget travelers can do it for much less, while luxury travelers could easily spend more. Your biggest variables will be your flight cost, accommodation choices (business hotels, ryokans, or hostels), and dining habits (convenience stores vs. high-end sushi).
Dating in Japan can be tough, especially across cultures. Here's why it's hard to find a relationship and how to get real support. Dating in Japan can feel like trying to learn three languages at once: Japanese, romance and cultural subtext.
In addition to age variation in divorce, there is also variation in divorce rates by race and ethnicity. Black adults tend to have higher divorce rates in comparison to other races or ethnicities, whereas Asian adults experience the lowest divorce rates (Westrick-Payne, 2023).
Glazer et al also demonstrated that Asians had the highest sperm concentrations and Blacks the lowest, similar to our data.
The "777 rule for kids" has two main meanings in parenting: one focuses on daily connection time (7 mins morning, 7 mins after school, 7 mins before bed) for feeling seen and valued, while another defines developmental stages (0-7 play, 7-14 teach, 14-21 guide) for parents to tailor their involvement. A third variation suggests limiting screen time to 7 hours/week, maintaining 7 feet distance, and avoiding screens 7 days before events. All aim to build stronger parent-child bonds through intentional, focused interaction or developmentally appropriate parenting roles.