The longtime practice of women quitting work upon marriage is dying out, with over half continuing in their positions, according to a recent survey by a semigovernmental organization.

But the reason behind this shift appears to be the severe economy rather than a change in Japan's male-oriented corporate culture, according to the Institution for Household Economy, an affiliate of the Cabinet Office.

The institute conducted its annual survey on 1,500 women aged between 24 and 34. Of the respondents, 56.3 percent said they are still working at the same company they were in when they got married, a jump of 32 percent over the 1997 survey results.

Many women said they decided to keep their jobs out of fear their husbands would become unemployed amid the prolonged economic stagnation. They also said it has become increasingly difficult for a woman to get a new job once she has already quit a company.

The increased number of working women has often been attributed to their desire to pursue careers or a better suitability for corporate life, but the results of the survey suggest otherwise, an institute official said.

Wives are simply working to secure income, which is merely a reflection of bad economic times, the official said.

Of women who got married and kept their jobs in 2000, all said they thought the job market was unlikely to improve in the near future.