The life of a full time housewife, however, is not a bed of roses. The definition of trouble is quite different between Japan and the West. For Western countries, the definition of trouble is diverse, but British, French and German show that boring housekeeping work is their top concern, while Americans complain about domestic financial problems. If you also consider the fact that Japanese couples share fewer activities together after marriage, it is quite understandable that these isolated wives have more stress compared with those who share more responsibilities and activities together, as is more common in the West. The response to this question shows only 19.8 percent of Japanese mothers enjoy childcare, while 70.9 percent of British, 49.8 percent of Americans enjoy childcare.
Japanese mothers feel that they have to do their best to bring up the children.
To bring up children is to bring up the next generation so that they can support the future Japanese nation. The concept of duty and responsibility is so heavy that Japanese mothers cannot enjoy simple relations and being together with their children. This pressure influences the children's mental condition and leads them to be more competitive and selfish, losing the traditional Japanese virtues such as sharing with others, being kind to others, showing deep sympathy for others, as well as creativity and originality. Fathers would complain to mothers if the children do not succeed. So, happy looking Japanese full time wives are far from being stress free and mentally stable.