Not this generation. Through luck and Akiko's perseverance, the Hases have thrived during Japan's low years, but nowadays even they feel more vulnerable than ever. In 1995, after several incidents in which schoolgirls were molested on the street, a group of mothers in the neighborhood established a daily patrol service in the late afternoon. While the small but perceptible increase in crime may be one of the aftereffects of the broken bubble, others are more obvious. Like much of Tokyo, the Hases' area is semi-commercial, and when they moved in, they often heard the soft whine of machinery from the little factories and shops nearby.
Next door is an electric switchboard maker, across the street a sofa frame manufacturer.
But a couple of years ago, the reassuring hum of industry began fading away. Family shops have dismissed employees. And lately, several wives have called asking for work with Femmes de Menage. Unfortunately, Hase can't afford to expand. Japan's tax system discourages spousal employment.