Historically, the family was the most encompassing agency of social welfare to individual members of the group. In those days, individuals were literally born into the family and died in the family. Their lives were governed by the rules that defined their position within the family, that determined relationships among the family members and the non-family members of the society and that spelled out their proper behavior. Over the years many functions that the family had performed have been transferred to professional organizations outside the family. Today the functions that are left to family are the exchange of affection and moral support, sexual gratification, procreation and rearing of the very young, some practical training in life and consumption.
Families involved in family businesses perform an additional function of production.
But in today's urbanized population more and more people seek employment outside their family. The modern family still remains the most fundamental social institution in society. In fact, among the social and political institutions in society, the family is the institution that has been the most adaptive to change. It is here that we can see the strength and flexibility of the family. Japanese families through the evolution of society and economic development have gradually grown out of the stage where family members had to support each other at all times in order to sustain the family as a respectable social and economic entity in society.