An Empirical Study of Sex Preferences for Children in Japan

Rie Moriizumi, National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Japan

This paper investigates the sex preferences for children in Japan. Using the data from the 8th (1982)-13th (2005) National Fertility Survey, the changing trends of sex preferences for children and their causes were explored, and the effect of the sex composition of children already born on married women’s fertility intention was examined. In Japan, the widespread preference is the balance preference of daughters and sons. Son preference was found to have gradually weakened over the past two decades, and people desiring more daughters than sons have increased. This is because many people now make much account of the values of having children associated with daughters rather than sons. In empirical analysis of the factors of fertility intention, married women who have only son(s) are likely to desire to have another child. This indicates that ideas that value the existence of a daughter prevail in Japan.