“I’m going to be the first in our company to take child-care leave.” “I’m going to fully enjoy my six months in child care.” “I’m going to take a bath with my baby boy three or more days a week.”
These quotes are from the Ikumen Project website opened in June by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Ikumen is a coined word that is a combination of ikuji (child-rearing) and men, referring to fathers who actively take part in raising children. Such men are increasing–a trend that is good for children, families and society as a whole.
The revised Child-care and Family-care Leave Law took effect June 30 to support the spread of men’s participation in child care.
The revised law has a new rule called a “dad and mom child-care leave plus system.”
For details, please visit the following website:
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201007040253.html
(The Asahi Shimbun, July 3, 2010)
