Expository Essay Sample

Expository Essay SampleAn expository essay is an essay which is largely concerned with the presentation of the author's points of view in such a way that it is understandable and is easily readable by a reader. An expository essay does not have to be an intellectual article or essay on any single subject. It can be on any theme of interest, whether it is related to subjects of science, art, politics, philosophy, social sciences, sociology, philosophy, mathematics or any other areas.The prime function of expository essays is to inform the readers about the gist of the information being presented. It is also intended to relay information in a way that will catch the attention of the reader, lead them to the conclusion and encourage them to know more. The essay is meant to get the reader interested in the topic and also to educate the reader about the topic in question. This will eventually compel the reader to think about the topic in the context of the rest of the paper.Of course, the purpose of the essay is to play a major role in the development of the class discussion. It can often become the occasion for students to discuss various topics in their own areas of interest and expertise. There are three popular types of expository essays, namely traditional, informal and innovative, for each of which there is a corresponding expository essay sample.Traditionally, an essay written in a formal format is the simplest and most common type of essay. It is usually composed of a thesis statement, data supporting the thesis and a conclusion. In the formal format, the writer has no scope for creative expression and therefore cannot anticipate any unusual ideas or interpret the writing in any unusual manner. However, in a well-written essay in the informal format, the writer has the scope to introduce new ideas or interpretations in order to complete the thesis statement.Informal essays which are offered as expository essay sample follow a completely different structure a nd format. One has the scope to create a much more creative style by which he or she could paint a vivid picture of the subject by inserting words and phrases of his or her choice. In this style, words are used more freely and the writing style is essentially conversational. This type of essay differs from the traditional form by the fact that the writer can not only present new ideas but also make his or her position clear in a persuasive manner.Every essay has the capacity to be classified into two different types depending on its content. The first type includes a syllabus for the entire essay and for each topic selected it is required to make a separate statement of opinion. The second type involves a syllabus in the form of an outline which provides the writer the liberty to insert the necessary parts of his or her essay.There are several advantages of an expository essay sample, which is in turn used to check the abilities of the student to write a unique essay. One such advan tage is that it enables the student to see how a unique essay should be written. Another advantage is that it is useful to determine the level of skill and proficiency of the writer.The expository essay can be used for any academic subject or the student needs to make it as per his or her preferences. Expository essays can also be adapted for any extracurricular activities. It is the writer's job to come up with a unique expository essay which is able to address all the concerns of the class.

Why Is the Divorce Rate so Low in Japan free essay sample

Japan has gained a reputation of having a low divorce rate compared to other countries. Indeed, between 1945 and 1990, the divorce rate of Japan has never been higher than 1. 5 per 1000 population. Since the 1990s, the divorce rate of Japan increased, reaching 2. 08 in 2005. even if we can consider this a low divorce rate in comparison with the U. S, compared with other industrialized country, it is an average rate. Then, why is Japans divorce rate considered so low? We will see first why I do not consider Japans divorce rate low, then the historical reasons of the divorce rate, the actual reasons of the divorce rate and, finally, what to expect in the future. gt;gt; why do I not consider the Japanese divorce rate low? Since World War II, Japan has been considered a country with really low divorce rate. Indeed, according to the figure 1. 2, Japan divorce rate in 1945 was 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Is the Divorce Rate so Low in Japan? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 1 per 1000 of population. Since the 1960s, divorce rate in Japan has been growing, with a peak in 2002 when there have been 290,000 divorce. Since then, the divorce rate has decreased. In 2005, there has been 262. 000 divorce, and the divorce rate has been 2. 08 per 1000 population. Because a U. S. -Japan comparison formed the basis for the majority of divorce studies, the Japanese divorce rate appeared low. However, if Japan had been compared with Southern European countries like Spain, Greece, Portugal or Italy, its divorce rate would not have appeared particularly low. By 2000, the Japanese divorce rate placed the nation somewhere in the middle band of European countries, but still very low in comparison to the United States. Even though the American divorce rate has been declining in recent years, it is still extremely high compared with all European countries as the figure 1. 1 clearly shows. gt;gt; historical reasons of the actual level of the divorce rate? Elevated divorce rates in Japan arent a new phenomenon, indeed in the 19th century, Japanese divorce rates have been exceeded only by those in the 1970s in the United States. In the 19th century and before, it was fairly common for people to try marriage and to divorce if necessary. Remarriage was also normal for women and men. Even spouse testing was accepted inside the ociety. Only the samurai didnt follow this rule and married once and only. Until the introduction of the Meiji Civil Code of 1898, Japan had some of the highest divorce rates in the world. Under the old peasant marriage system, women were considered a valuable economic resource by families. Young wives were often tested out by the new family in trial marriages and if they did not me et the required standard, they were sent back home. Thus, most divorces occurred in the early stages of marriage. Remarriage rates for both men and women were high, but later marriages were usually stable. Harold Fuess wrote a book about the â€Å"forgotten history† of Japan divorce: Family, Gender and the State 1600-2000, by Harold Feuss. He explains how in 1898, the civil code and some new laws on family registration led to a sharp decline in divorce rates. One of the aims of the Meiji legislation was to discourage divorce and bring Japan more in line with European marriage and divorce trends. In its drive to modernize the country, the Meiji government managed to impose the anti-divorce values of the former elite Samurai classes on the general population. Samurai customs had previously only been associated with a very small fraction of the population. So successful were the governments efforts that nowadays most Japanese are unaware than their country once had one of the highest divorce rates in the world. The act in itself of codifying family regulation generated some frictions between customs, newly â€Å"invented traditions† and western legal practices, that made people believe of divorcing as a way of dishonoring ones family, group, or country. Therefore, between 1898 and 1940, the divorce rates declined. The strengthening of the institution of marriage was also helped by the economic growth and the industrialization of Japan. Indeed, thanks to the growth, each family had more or less a growing comfort level, it was usual for women not to work, in case of divorce, women were highly at a disadvantage: they could not support themselves, and therefore not a child. Marriage was therefore seen as an economic and social stability, furthermore, a new sexual morality has developed which reinforced the idea that marriage was a national disgrace and a poor reflection on women rights. Harold Fuess highlights the fact that the Japanese government has a big part of this idea that divorce is not part of the history of Japan. Indeed, in 1997, the government suppressed textbooks that reported the high divorce rates of the past. After World War II, Japan gained an undeserved reputation for low divorce rates, the current â€Å"explosion† of divorce rate is just Japan going back to the high level of the 19th century. gt;gt; what are the actual reasons of the divorce rate? As in other developed countries, the reasons why couples divorce are usually a complex combination of factors which vary from individual case and change over time. The most commonly cited reasons for Japanese divorce in the nineties were an extramarital affair, neglect of family, financial/economic problems, incompatibility, sexual problems, alcoholism, physical abuse and problems with in-laws. Some of the major social currents in the divorce equation were the changing concepts of marriage, a reluctance to have children, changing family structures, the emergence of more diverse family models, increased educational opportunities for women, enhanced female economic status, better career opportunities for women and positive media images of divorce, inter alia. But that are the reasons for divorce nowadays, lets concentrate on why people would not want a divorce, even when facing those problems. First of all, Japan is deficient in several areas of child support , most importantly having no mechanism in place for enforcing payment or collecting arrears. There is also no system for tracking down non-compliant fathers, no requirement to conduct DNA-paternity tests and no means for deducing money from the delinquent fathers salary. The courts normally do not take action if a spouse does not meet their obligations. To make matters worse, the legal framework for solving child support disputes is totally inadequate and requires an inordinate amount of time and money. People may not want to try and go alone in raising their children after a divorce considering all those problems concerning child support. Furthermore, the cost of rising a child in Japan is really high, therefore, with only one salary the perspective of rising children can be really hard. Indeed, after the divorce, usually children are under the care of their mothers, and the parental rights of the father are inexistent. Secondly, Divorce in Japan, like marriage, is easy if both parties agree to it. All you have to do is head for the Ward Office and fill out a Divorce Form. This is called kyougi rikon, or divorce by mutual consent, which happens, estimates a lawyer in about 80% of divorces. Assets, possessions, or property are divided up either informally or through the legal community. However, if both parties do not agree to divorce, things can get very messy. According to Japan Civil Code Article 770, there are five grounds for unilateral divorce: infidelity, malicious desertion (which for foreign spouses can include being deported), uncertainty whether or not the spouse is dead or alive for three years or more, serious mental disease without hope of recovery, or a grave reason which makes continuing the marriage impossible. What is considered a grave reason is unclear, and at the discretion of a judge if things go to court. However, the simple fact that you do not like each other anymore, i. e. a matter of irreconcilable differences, is not considered to be sufficient grounds. Here things begin to pinch. If one side refuses to agree to the divorce, you will have to negotiate until you do, which can take many years. You can legally separate, but this is not a divorce, and you cannot remarry. The fact that divorce can be so difficult in certain case leads people to seek legal separation instead of actual divorce. Plus, the access to court can be really difficult since there are not a lot of lawyer in Japan. Those are the two of the main reason why people do not seek to divorce in Japan, the difficulty of getting a divorce if there is no agreement, and the cost of rising children. gt;gt; what to expect for the future? Divorce may rise after a change in law in 2007. Indeed, spouses will be eligible for up to half of partners pensions. Hiromi Ikeuchi, author of The Costs and Benefits of Divorce in Middle Age, is convinced the decline since 2002 does not mean married couples have become more content. She believes many unhappy spouses have been biding their time since 2001, when discussions on changes to the pension system began. The revision was passed in 2004. Men have just recently begun learning about the new law that divides their employee pensions, but housewives have been aware of the change since around 2001. The recent dip in the divorce rate is merely the calm before the storm, and the number of divorces is likely to spike, even surpassing 300,000 in 2007. Though men appear blissfully unaware of the danger, Ikeuchi said many housewives, especially those over 50, are waiting patiently for the new rules to take effect. The new pension system was created to cope with the growing number of divorces among middle-aged couples and to support (divorced) women. Under the current system, divorced wives are only granted a basic pension of no more than 66,000 yen a month. By forcing husbands to share their employee pensions, which vary depending on average earnings and length of employment, a typical housewife could get up to twice as much if they hold out until April. There was also a change in the way welfare is distributed: all single parent households receive less money. Indeed, in 2006, a new law has been voted, the Health, Labor and Welfare ministry stopped giving the â€Å"mother child supplement† for depending children over 15 years old. 80% of single mother work. This figure includes widows, divorced women, and single mothers. They earn in average 30% of the income of an average household, and 17. % of them dont receive any money from the father of their children. This new law wont incite women to get a divorce, or on the contrary will incite them to marry and get a divorce. Indeed, as a never married woman with child receive less money than even a single father, and much less than a divorced woman. Therefore, it is more advantageous f or women to marry and then to divorce. Even if this change in welfare distribution may will be compensated by the law on spouse pension, the fact that single parents will receive less and less money from the state wont incite people to get a divorce. Conclusion: The divorce rate is not as low as it is believed. Indeed, mainly because it is compared with the U. S, Japans divorce rate is considered low. The main historical reason of this low divorce rate is the Meiji code and the new laws implemented in 1898, which complicated getting a divorce. Nowadays, people seems to be waiting the new law about pension in order to get a divorce, since people will be able to have a larger pension than what they could expect now. It is then highly probable that the divorce rate will rapidly increase after April 2007. Why Is the Divorce Rate so Low in Japan free essay sample Japan has gained a reputation of having a low divorce rate compared to other countries. Indeed, between 1945 and 1990, the divorce rate of Japan has never been higher than 1. 5 per 1000 population. Since the 1990s, the divorce rate of Japan increased, reaching 2. 08 in 2005. even if we can consider this a low divorce rate in comparison with the U. S, compared with other industrialized country, it is an average rate. Then, why is Japans divorce rate considered so low? We will see first why I do not consider Japans divorce rate low, then the historical reasons of the divorce rate, the actual reasons of the divorce rate and, finally, what to expect in the future. gt;gt; why do I not consider the Japanese divorce rate low? Since World War II, Japan has been considered a country with really low divorce rate. Indeed, according to the figure 1. 2, Japan divorce rate in 1945 was 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Is the Divorce Rate so Low in Japan? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 1 per 1000 of population. Since the 1960s, divorce rate in Japan has been growing, with a peak in 2002 when there have been 290,000 divorce. Since then, the divorce rate has decreased. In 2005, there has been 262. 000 divorce, and the divorce rate has been 2. 08 per 1000 population. Because a U. S. -Japan comparison formed the basis for the majority of divorce studies, the Japanese divorce rate appeared low. However, if Japan had been compared with Southern European countries like Spain, Greece, Portugal or Italy, its divorce rate would not have appeared particularly low. By 2000, the Japanese divorce rate placed the nation somewhere in the middle band of European countries, but still very low in comparison to the United States. Even though the American divorce rate has been declining in recent years, it is still extremely high compared with all European countries as the figure 1. 1 clearly shows. gt;gt; historical reasons of the actual level of the divorce rate? Elevated divorce rates in Japan arent a new phenomenon, indeed in the 19th century, Japanese divorce rates have been exceeded only by those in the 1970s in the United States. In the 19th century and before, it was fairly common for people to try marriage and to divorce if necessary. Remarriage was also normal for women and men. Even spouse testing was accepted inside the ociety. Only the samurai didnt follow this rule and married once and only. Until the introduction of the Meiji Civil Code of 1898, Japan had some of the highest divorce rates in the world. Under the old peasant marriage system, women were considered a valuable economic resource by families. Young wives were often tested out by the new family in trial marriages and if they did not me et the required standard, they were sent back home. Thus, most divorces occurred in the early stages of marriage. Remarriage rates for both men and women were high, but later marriages were usually stable. Harold Fuess wrote a book about the â€Å"forgotten history† of Japan divorce: Family, Gender and the State 1600-2000, by Harold Feuss. He explains how in 1898, the civil code and some new laws on family registration led to a sharp decline in divorce rates. One of the aims of the Meiji legislation was to discourage divorce and bring Japan more in line with European marriage and divorce trends. In its drive to modernize the country, the Meiji government managed to impose the anti-divorce values of the former elite Samurai classes on the general population. Samurai customs had previously only been associated with a very small fraction of the population. So successful were the governments efforts that nowadays most Japanese are unaware than their country once had one of the highest divorce rates in the world. The act in itself of codifying family regulation generated some frictions between customs, newly â€Å"invented traditions† and western legal practices, that made people believe of divorcing as a way of dishonoring ones family, group, or country. Therefore, between 1898 and 1940, the divorce rates declined. The strengthening of the institution of marriage was also helped by the economic growth and the industrialization of Japan. Indeed, thanks to the growth, each family had more or less a growing comfort level, it was usual for women not to work, in case of divorce, women were highly at a disadvantage: they could not support themselves, and therefore not a child. Marriage was therefore seen as an economic and social stability, furthermore, a new sexual morality has developed which reinforced the idea that marriage was a national disgrace and a poor reflection on women rights. Harold Fuess highlights the fact that the Japanese government has a big part of this idea that divorce is not part of the history of Japan. Indeed, in 1997, the government suppressed textbooks that reported the high divorce rates of the past. After World War II, Japan gained an undeserved reputation for low divorce rates, the current â€Å"explosion† of divorce rate is just Japan going back to the high level of the 19th century. gt;gt; what are the actual reasons of the divorce rate? As in other developed countries, the reasons why couples divorce are usually a complex combination of factors which vary from individual case and change over time. The most commonly cited reasons for Japanese divorce in the nineties were an extramarital affair, neglect of family, financial/economic problems, incompatibility, sexual problems, alcoholism, physical abuse and problems with in-laws. Some of the major social currents in the divorce equation were the changing concepts of marriage, a reluctance to have children, changing family structures, the emergence of more diverse family models, increased educational opportunities for women, enhanced female economic status, better career opportunities for women and positive media images of divorce, inter alia. But that are the reasons for divorce nowadays, lets concentrate on why people would not want a divorce, even when facing those problems. First of all, Japan is deficient in several areas of child support , most importantly having no mechanism in place for enforcing payment or collecting arrears. There is also no system for tracking down non-compliant fathers, no requirement to conduct DNA-paternity tests and no means for deducing money from the delinquent fathers salary. The courts normally do not take action if a spouse does not meet their obligations. To make matters worse, the legal framework for solving child support disputes is totally inadequate and requires an inordinate amount of time and money. People may not want to try and go alone in raising their children after a divorce considering all those problems concerning child support. Furthermore, the cost of rising a child in Japan is really high, therefore, with only one salary the perspective of rising children can be really hard. Indeed, after the divorce, usually children are under the care of their mothers, and the parental rights of the father are inexistent. Secondly, Divorce in Japan, like marriage, is easy if both parties agree to it. All you have to do is head for the Ward Office and fill out a Divorce Form. This is called kyougi rikon, or divorce by mutual consent, which happens, estimates a lawyer in about 80% of divorces. Assets, possessions, or property are divided up either informally or through the legal community. However, if both parties do not agree to divorce, things can get very messy. According to Japan Civil Code Article 770, there are five grounds for unilateral divorce: infidelity, malicious desertion (which for foreign spouses can include being deported), uncertainty whether or not the spouse is dead or alive for three years or more, serious mental disease without hope of recovery, or a grave reason which makes continuing the marriage impossible. What is considered a grave reason is unclear, and at the discretion of a judge if things go to court. However, the simple fact that you do not like each other anymore, i. e. a matter of irreconcilable differences, is not considered to be sufficient grounds. Here things begin to pinch. If one side refuses to agree to the divorce, you will have to negotiate until you do, which can take many years. You can legally separate, but this is not a divorce, and you cannot remarry. The fact that divorce can be so difficult in certain case leads people to seek legal separation instead of actual divorce. Plus, the access to court can be really difficult since there are not a lot of lawyer in Japan. Those are the two of the main reason why people do not seek to divorce in Japan, the difficulty of getting a divorce if there is no agreement, and the cost of rising children. gt;gt; what to expect for the future? Divorce may rise after a change in law in 2007. Indeed, spouses will be eligible for up to half of partners pensions. Hiromi Ikeuchi, author of The Costs and Benefits of Divorce in Middle Age, is convinced the decline since 2002 does not mean married couples have become more content. She believes many unhappy spouses have been biding their time since 2001, when discussions on changes to the pension system began. The revision was passed in 2004. Men have just recently begun learning about the new law that divides their employee pensions, but housewives have been aware of the change since around 2001. The recent dip in the divorce rate is merely the calm before the storm, and the number of divorces is likely to spike, even surpassing 300,000 in 2007. Though men appear blissfully unaware of the danger, Ikeuchi said many housewives, especially those over 50, are waiting patiently for the new rules to take effect. The new pension system was created to cope with the growing number of divorces among middle-aged couples and to support (divorced) women. Under the current system, divorced wives are only granted a basic pension of no more than 66,000 yen a month. By forcing husbands to share their employee pensions, which vary depending on average earnings and length of employment, a typical housewife could get up to twice as much if they hold out until April. There was also a change in the way welfare is distributed: all single parent households receive less money. Indeed, in 2006, a new law has been voted, the Health, Labor and Welfare ministry stopped giving the â€Å"mother child supplement† for depending children over 15 years old. 80% of single mother work. This figure includes widows, divorced women, and single mothers. They earn in average 30% of the income of an average household, and 17. % of them dont receive any money from the father of their children. This new law wont incite women to get a divorce, or on the contrary will incite them to marry and get a divorce. Indeed, as a never married woman with child receive less money than even a single father, and much less than a divorced woman. Therefore, it is more advantageous f or women to marry and then to divorce. Even if this change in welfare distribution may will be compensated by the law on spouse pension, the fact that single parents will receive less and less money from the state wont incite people to get a divorce. Conclusion: The divorce rate is not as low as it is believed. Indeed, mainly because it is compared with the U. S, Japans divorce rate is considered low. The main historical reason of this low divorce rate is the Meiji code and the new laws implemented in 1898, which complicated getting a divorce. Nowadays, people seems to be waiting the new law about pension in order to get a divorce, since people will be able to have a larger pension than what they could expect now. It is then highly probable that the divorce rate will rapidly increase. Why Is the Divorce Rate so Low in Japan free essay sample Since the World War II, Japan has gained a reputation of having a low divorce rate compared to other countries. Indeed, between 1945 and 1990, the divorce rate of Japan has never been higher than 1. 5 per 1000 population. Since the 1990s, the divorce rate of Japan increased, reaching 2. 08 in 2005. even if we can consider this a low divorce rate in comparison with the U. S, compared with other industrialized country, it is an average rate. Then, why is Japans divorce rate considered so low? We will see first why I do not consider Japans divorce rate low, then the historical reasons of the divorce rate, the actual reasons of the divorce rate and, finally, what to expect in the future. gt;gt; why do I not consider the Japanese divorce rate low? Since World War II, Japan has been considered a country with really low divorce rate. Indeed, according to the figure 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Is the Divorce Rate so Low in Japan? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 2, Japan divorce rate in 1945 was 1. 1 per 1000 of population. Since the 1960s, divorce rate in Japan has been growing, with a peak in 2002 when there have been 290,000 divorce. Since then, the divorce rate has decreased. In 2005, there has been 262. 000 divorce, and the divorce rate has been 2. 08 per 1000 population. Because a U. S. -Japan comparison formed the basis for the majority of divorce studies, the Japanese divorce rate appeared low. However, if Japan had been compared with Southern European countries like Spain, Greece, Portugal or Italy, its divorce rate would not have appeared particularly low. By 2000, the Japanese divorce rate placed the nation somewhere in the middle band of European countries, but still very low in comparison to the United States. Even though the American divorce rate has been declining in recent years, it is still extremely high compared with all European countries as the figure 1. 1 clearly shows. gt;gt; historical reasons of the actual level of the divorce rate? Elevated divorce rates in Japan arent a new phenomenon, indeed in the 19th century, Japanese divorce rates have been exceeded only by those in the 1970s in the United States. In the 19th century and before, it was fairly common for people to try marriage and to divorce if necessary. Remarriage was also normal for women and men. Even spouse testing was accepted inside the ociety. Only the samurai didnt follow this rule and married once and only. Until the introduction of the Meiji Civil Code of 1898, Japan had some of the highest divorce rates in the world. Under the old peasant marriage system, women were considered a valuable economic resource by families. Young wives were often tested out by the new family in trial marriages and if they did not me et the required standard, they were sent back home. Thus, most divorces occurred in the early stages of marriage. Remarriage rates for both men and women were high, but later marriages were usually stable. Harold Fuess wrote a book about the â€Å"forgotten history† of Japan divorce: DIVORCE IN JAPAN: Family, Gender and the State 1600-2000, by Harold Feuss. He explains how in 1898, the civil code and some new laws on family registration led to a sharp decline in divorce rates. One of the aims of the Meiji legislation was to discourage divorce and bring Japan more in line with European marriage and divorce trends. In its drive to modernize the country, the Meiji government managed to impose the anti-divorce values of the former elite Samurai classes on the general population. Samurai customs had previously only been associated with a very small fraction of the population. So successful were the governments efforts that nowadays most Japanese are unaware than their country once had one of the highest divorce rates in the world. The act in itself of codifying family regulation generated some frictions between customs, newly â€Å"invented traditions† and western legal practices, that made people believe of divorcing as a way of dishonoring ones family, group, or country. Therefore, between 1898 and 1940, the divorce rates declined. The strengthening of the institution of marriage was also helped by the economic growth and the industrialization of Japan. Indeed, thanks to the growth, each family had more or less a growing comfort level, it was usual for women not to work, in case of divorce, women were highly at a disadvantage: they could not support themselves, and therefore not a child. Marriage was therefore seen as an economic and social stability, furthermore, a new sexual morality has developed which reinforced the idea that marriage was a national disgrace and a poor reflection on women rights. Harold Fuess highlights the fact that the Japanese government has a big part of this idea that divorce is not part of the history of Japan. Indeed, in 1997, the government suppressed textbooks that reported the high divorce rates of the past. After World War II, Japan gained an undeserved reputation for low divorce rates, the current â€Å"explosion† of divorce rate is just Japan going back to the high level of the 19th century. gt;gt; what are the actual reasons of the divorce rate? As in other developed countries, the reasons why couples divorce are usually a complex combination of factors which vary from individual case and change over time. The most commonly cited reasons for Japanese divorce in the nineties were an extramarital affair, neglect of family, financial/economic problems, incompatibility, sexual problems, alcoholism, physical abuse and problems with in-laws. Some of the major social currents in the divorce equation were the changing concepts of marriage, a reluctance to have children, changing family structures, the emergence of more diverse family models, increased educational opportunities for women, enhanced female economic status, better career opportunities for women and positive media images of divorce, inter alia. But that are the reasons for divorce nowadays, lets concentrate on why people would not want a divorce, even when facing those problems. First of all, Japan is deficient in several areas of child support , most importantly having no mechanism in place for enforcing payment or collecting arrears. There is also no system for tracking down non-compliant fathers, no requirement to conduct DNA-paternity tests and no means for deducing money from the delinquent fathers salary. The courts normally do not take action if a spouse does not meet their obligations. To make matters worse, the legal framework for solving child support disputes is totally inadequate and requires an inordinate amount of time and money. People may not want to try and go alone in raising their children after a divorce considering all those problems concerning child support. Furthermore, the cost of rising a child in Japan is really high, therefore, with only one salary the perspective of rising children can be really hard. Indeed, after the divorce, usually children are under the care of their mothers, and the parental rights of the father are inexistent. Secondly, Divorce in Japan, like marriage, is easy if both parties agree to it. All you have to do is head for the Ward Office and fill out a Divorce Form. This is called kyougi rikon, or divorce by mutual consent, which happens, estimates a lawyer in about 80% of divorces. Assets, possessions, or property are divided up either informally or through the legal community. However, if both parties do not agree to divorce, things can get very messy. According to Japan Civil Code Article 770, there are five grounds for unilateral divorce: infidelity, malicious desertion (which for foreign spouses can include being deported), uncertainty whether or not the spouse is dead or alive for three years or more, serious mental disease without hope of recovery, or a grave reason which makes continuing the marriage impossible. What is considered a grave reason is unclear, and at the discretion of a judge if things go to court. However, the simple fact that you do not like each other anymore, i. e. a matter of irreconcilable differences, is not considered to be sufficient grounds. Here things begin to pinch. If one side refuses to agree to the divorce, you will have to negotiate until you do, which can take many years. You can legally separate, but this is not a divorce, and you cannot remarry. The fact that divorce can be so difficult in certain case leads people to seek legal separation instead of actual divorce. Plus, the access to court can be really difficult since there are not a lot of lawyer in Japan. Those are the two of the main reason why people do not seek to divorce in Japan, the difficulty of getting a divorce if there is no agreement, and the cost of rising children. gt;gt; what to expect for the future? Divorce may rise after a change in law in 2007. Indeed, spouses will be eligible for up to half of partners pensions. Hiromi Ikeuchi, author of The Costs and Benefits of Divorce in Middle Age, is convinced the decline since 2002 does not mean married couples have become more content. She believes many unhappy spouses have been biding their time since 2001, when discussions on changes to the pension system began. The revision was passed in 2004. Men have just recently begun learning about the new law that divides their employee pensions, but housewives have been aware of the change since around 2001. The recent dip in the divorce rate is merely the calm before the storm, and the number of divorces is likely to spike, even surpassing 300,000 in 2007. Though men appear blissfully unaware of the danger, Ikeuchi said many housewives, especially those over 50, are waiting patiently for the new rules to take effect. The new pension system was created to cope with the growing number of divorces among middle-aged couples and to support (divorced) women. Under the current system, divorced wives are only granted a basic pension of no more than 66,000 yen a month. By forcing husbands to share their employee pensions, which vary depending on average earnings and length of employment, a typical housewife could get up to twice as much if they hold out until April. There was also a change in the way welfare is distributed: all single parent households receive less money. Indeed, in 2006, a new law has been voted, the Health, Labor and Welfare ministry stopped giving the â€Å"mother child supplement† for depending children over 15 years old. 80% of single mother work. This figure includes widows, divorced women, and single mothers. They earn in average 30% of the income of an average household, and 17. % of them dont receive any money from the father of their children. This new law wont incite women to get a divorce, or on the contrary will incite them to marry and get a divorce. Indeed, as a never married woman with child receive less money than even a single father, and much less than a divorced woman. Therefore, it is more advantageous f or women to marry and then to divorce. Even if this change in welfare distribution may will be compensated by the law on spouse pension, the fact that single parents will receive less and less money from the state wont incite people to get a divorce. Conclusion: The divorce rate is not as low as it is believed. Indeed, mainly because it is compared with the U. S, Japans divorce rate is considered low. The main historical reason of this low divorce rate is the Meiji code and the new laws implemented in 1898, which complicated getting a divorce. Nowadays, people seems to be waiting the new law about pension in order to get a divorce, since people will be able to have a larger pension than what they could expect now. It is then highly probable that the divorce rate will rapidly increase after April 2007.