Traditional Japanese families were very close knit units
In contemporary Japan, there are different types of family life-styles. In many urban families, the husband goes to work as a salaried employee. The wife in such Japanese families takes the entire responsibility for the family budget, raising the children, securing their careers and marriages. She is also responsible for maintaining social relations with the neighbors, relatives and acquaintances. Women in these families often get engaged in a part-time job or even take part in some community activities. In some other Japanese families, both the husband and wife are self-employed, working together in a family business. In these cases, the husbands have a much greater share of responsibility for childcare and housework. Like families all over the world, the Japanese family is evolving in response to modern economic pressures.