Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Aka-chan admin II: making your baby ‘legal’ in Japan
When a baby (aka-chan) is born in Japan, he or she automatically assumes the nationality of his or her parents. If one of the parents is Japanese, the baby becomes Japanese. Since I’m British (Scottish!) and my husband is American, and we’d stay in Japan for more than 60 days after our daughter was born, we…
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Aka-chan Admin: registering a birth in Japan
The past few weeks have involved a lot of feeding, sleeping, pooping – and paperwork! It may come as no surprise that registering the birth of a baby (aka-chan) in Japan is an admin-heavy process (particularly when the baby is non-Japanese; more on this later). Had I done a bit more homework in advance, I could’ve…
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A Prime Minister, a coalition, and 2 pregnant Brits walk into a . . .
The UK-Japan 21st Century Group was launched in 1985, at the joint request of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone. A coalition of private sector, public sector, and civil society leaders – representing industry, academia, the media, and government – the group aims to promote dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. Members meet…
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Women at work – a slow moving wave
For some years now, female employment and promotion have been on Japan’s to-do list. But government policies – and related private sector initiatives – have so far fallen short. Even with public “Womenomics” targets, offerings of flexi-time, and the creation of daycare spots, women continue to make up two-thirds of Japan’s ‘non-regular’ contract and part-time employees.…
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Step-by-step guide to maternity appointments in Japan (Nisseki Hospital)
Japan’s prenatal system is excellent, if a bit more involved, process-driven, and tech-heavy than that in other countries. At 38 weeks pregnant, I’ve so far attended 15 maternity appointments, including 12 scans. The good news is that, since I’m in full-time employment, costs are covered for the most part by the Japanese government’s health insurance…
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Paid parental leave in Japan: not if you’re in charge
Did you know that, if you’re classified as a ‘senior woman’ in the Japanese workforce, you may not be eligible to receive the Government’s full suite of maternity benefits? No? Me neither! I’ve been finding out the hard way. Since becoming pregnant, here are some things I’ve learned about the country’s labour insurance system . . . It’s…
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Crossfit during pregnancy: 4 reasons why it works for me
I’ve been doing Crossfit for over 4 years now, and was keen to continue my twice-weekly routine during pregnancy. The sport often gets a bad press for being too intense, extreme, and dangerous. But that’s not the case at our gym – Chikara Crossfit in Akasaka, Tokyo. I’d seen women – Japanese and other nationalities – working out,…
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Japan’s magic maternity book
As you might imagine, with the one of the world’s lowest maternal mortality rates, Japan’s pre-natal care system is well-organised, comprehensive and methodical. Once your pregnancy is confirmed by a doctor, you can visit your local ward office with your pregnancy certificate (妊娠届書) and register for a boshi-techo (母子手帳) Maternal and Child Health Handbook. The…
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The only thing to say when a colleague tells you she’s pregnant
As I’ve found out over the past few months, there are many unsolicited things you can say when a woman – your employee, your boss, your client, your customer – tells you she’s pregnant. “Wow.” “I had no idea.” “Oh . . .” “Eh?! I’m SO SURPRISED!” “Really?!” “Did you get married?” *silently steps in lift…
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Japan: it’s time to reboot the system
After over a decade of living and working in Japan, I genuinely feel like change is in the air. With the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics sitting as a key milestone, the country has a once-in-a-generation opportunity for self-analysis and rediscovery. And it’s Japan’s game to lose right now. As we know, the country is facing…
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2020 Mum in Tokyo 