Current Situations and Challenges Concerning Sexual Health among Unmarried Couples Composed of a Mix of Japanese, South Korean Nationals, and Ethnic Koreans Born in Japan (<i>Zainichi</i>): A Qualitative Study

South Korean nationals are heavily represented in Japan’s foreign population, making up around 20% of all foreign residents in the country. Koreans in Japan can be viewed in two groups: Korean nationals who work or study in Japan, and those of Korean ancestry who were born in Japan or otherwise have historical reasons for residency (commonly called zainichi). There are certain differences seen in gender roles and Confucianism-based traditional culture among Japanese, South Korean nationals, and zainichi. This qualitative study examined consciousness and attitudes about marriage, family planning, and work-life balance in unmarried couples among these three groups. Semi- structured interviews were conducted with five unmarried couples comprising two members from the above three groups (age range: 20 - 35 years), residing in the Kinki region of western Japan. Twelve categories, 25 subcategories, and 79 codes were extracted from 636 contexts. Values regarding sexual health were analyzed from four viewpoints: marriage, family planning, work-life ba- lance, and sexual concerns. The results showed that the couples thought positively about marriage and family planning, while they had several sources of anxiety related to Confucian values and problems stemming from their different nationalities/roots. It is possible that gender roles and Confucian beliefs affect their sexual health. The study underscores that health professionals should provide pertinent knowledge and skills about family planning and child rearing, as well as premarital sexual health counselling, for unmarried couples composed of Japanese, South Korean nationals, and zainichi.

Induced abortion among unmarried women in China

This study uses a literature review to probe the prevalence and trends of induced abortions among unmarried women since the 1980s.Premarital pregnancy has become more and more common,and this has pushed the premarital abortion rate still higher.With the premarital abortion rate remaining markedly high in China,the percentage of women who have experienced premarital abortions has risen stead-ily with the passage of time.Not only has the prevalence of premarital abortions increased in China on the whole,but there is evidence that some young women have had multiple abortions.Premarital abortion is more prevalent in urban areas and among migrants and less-educated women.The huge number of premarital abor-tions not only signifies a palpable,unmet need for contraceptives,but also repre-sents an immense number of unrealized births.In the years to come,it is imperative to strengthen research into premarital abortions,to optimize the approaches to data collection and analysis,and to improve reproductive health services for unmarried women.

A Literature Review on “Non- Marriage”: A Global Comparative Perspective

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis and comparison of the existing literature on the phenomenon of non-marriage or staying unmarried in Asian countries such as China,Japan,South Korea,and Singapore,as well as European and American countries such as Spain and the US,and explores the trends,characteristics as well as reasons behind such a phenomenon.Through analysis,the present study found that there is a growing trend of postponed marriage and parenthood as well as an increasing proportion of individuals who exhibit no enthusiasm towards matrimony or parenthood in the aforementioned countries.To some extent,non-marriage or postponed marriage has become a prevalent trend in developed countries and even some developing countries.Japan,South Korea,and several developed countries in Europe and America have exhibited this phenomenon since the middle to late 20th century,with a relatively long history.The emergence of this phenomenon in China,Malaysia,the Philippines,and other developing countries in Asia,however,was relatively late,exhibiting a gradual development process.The current marriage landscape in China is characterized by a growing number of non-marriage individuals and a significant level of marital stability.In terms of reasons for staying unmarried,the marriage rates in the aforementioned countries can be attributed to various factors at macro,meso,and micro levels.In China,the phenomenon of non-marriage is closely associated with a range of factors,including diverse values and attitudes towards romance and marriage,marriage squeeze,education expansion,and the rise in females’economic and social status.The emphasis in future research should be placed on predicting the phenomenon of non-marriage,with a specific focus on exploring the reasons for advocating non-marriage,examining the internal mechanisms underlying this phenomenon,analyzing the consequences of non-marriage,and proposing corresponding countermeasures while establishing the public identity towards marriage.

The second demographic transition:also a 21st century Asian challenge?

This introduction aims at placing the unfolding sub-patterns of the Asian“Second Demographic Transition”(SDT)in a global context by contrasting them with those of societies with other than patriarchal histories.Firstly,fertility transitions to below-replacement level can be achieved as part of the first“altruistic”transition without any SDT traits being present.Secondly,Asian societies are by no means immune to genuine SDT developments,as illustrated by the emergence and spread of pre-marital cohabitation.Thirdly,the SDT cohabitation pattern is still conservative:it is followed by marriage,pregnancies result in shotgun marriages or abortions,and parenthood within consensual unions remains rare.Also divorce rates are low.But it is also argued that all Asian cases are still at the beginning of the possible SDT evolution or have barely started it,and that old ways can die off rather quickly with the succession of generations.Finally,it is shown that the cultural component,i.e.the“Willingness”condition,can act as a bottleneck slowing down the transition to a new pattern of behaviour.We therefore illustrate on a global scale how the spread of cohabitation is part of a broader ethical revolution stressing individual rather than societal discretion in matters of life and death.On the basis of these profiles we expect stronger resistance to SDT patterns of partnerhip formation in Hindu and Muslim societies.