The Confucian norm of filial piety is generally assumed as an underlying ideology of the traditional living arrangement of the Japanese elderly, ie., patri-lineal, patri-local stem family. In this article, the author describes the changes in filial piety and co-residence, and observes social relationships of the contemporary Japanese elderly.
A survey with 882 elderly community residents as subjects clearly showed differential roles of others played in the social world of the elderly, especially significant differences between daughters and daughters-in-law. Elderly parents feel emotionally close to their daughters, whether they live together or apart, while they seldom feel emotionally close to co-resident daughters-in-law who actually provide instrumental support.
Although living with a married son is still a preferred arrangement, it is likely to bring harmful interactions with co-resident daughters-in-law. Therefore avoiding co-residence might be a meaningful choice for the elderly, without immediate need of instrumental support. In Japan, intergenerational relationships between elderly parents and their adult children become move affection-based, convenience-oriented and free from the norm of filial piety than they used to be.
