Japan Study Finds Women’s Higher Education Does Not Reduce Marriage or Birth Rates

Claims that “women who go to university miss their chance to marry, which leads to a declining birth rate” are inaccurate, according to a study conducted by researchers from Waseda University and other institutions, Toshiyasu Kawachi reported for Mainichi Japan.

Although higher educational attainment delayed first marriage and childbirth, the average differences were only about two weeks for marriage and roughly 40 days for childbirth.

The researchers found that delays in first marriage and first childbirth associated with higher educational attainment were minimal.

Although marriage and childbirth at younger ages declined, women largely caught up by their 40s, leaving the final unmarried rate largely unchanged.

The researchers focused on women born around 1966, the Year of the Fire Horse in the Chinese zodiac cycle, which occurs once every 60 years. Births declined sharply that year because of superstition surrounding the zodiac sign.

As a result, that cohort faced less competition when advancing to high school and university than other age groups.

Using data covering about 1.8 million women — including figures from the national census and government statistics on marriage and childbirth — the team conducted a statistical analysis comparing educational attainment, age at first marriage, age at first childbirth, and marriage rates.

The study examined three groups: women born between April and December 1966; women born between January and March 1967, who belonged to the same school year and therefore faced less competition; and women born between January and March 1968, who experienced renewed competition after population levels recovered.

Researchers found that women born between January and March 1967 were significantly more likely to advance to high school, junior college, and university because of reduced competition.

Although higher educational attainment delayed first marriage and childbirth, the average differences were only about two weeks for marriage and roughly 40 days for childbirth.