In their March 6 "Yen for Living" column, Philip Brasor and Masako Tsubuku quote Naoko Kuga's research indicating that "30 percent of female regular employees quit their jobs when they give birth, while 75 percent of female nonregular employees do likewise." Rather than a response to tax policy, it is more likely these numbers reflect the simple fact that mothers want to spend time with their infants.
A better headline for the article would be "Japan's tax laws enable more women to take care of their children." I submit that what the authors call a "huge loss of potential for the Japanese economy" is in fact a huge boon for the Japanese family, and therefore for Japanese society as a whole.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
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