For as many reasons as there are old people, the number of divorces among elderly Japanese couples who had been married for many years rose steeply during the 1990s. However, in the last several years the number has leveled off. Apparently, the stabilization of the divorce rate of seniors has little to do with marital circumstances and everything to do with economics.
The government recently said it is planning to revise the national pension laws to make it possible for a housewife to receive half her salaryman husband's pension even if they get a divorce. At present, if a woman divorces her husband, she is only entitled to a basic pension of about 60,000 yen a month. The proposed law won't go into effect for another three years, so these women are waiting until then before they leave their husbands.
The subject will be discussed on this week's "Monday Entertainment" variety show (TV Tokyo, 8 p.m.), hosted by Monta Mino. Older women who are thinking about "dumping their men" will be interviewed about their married lives and their futures.