TOKYO -- Waves of day care closures caused by the coronavirus outbreak have disproportionally affected working mothers, especially those in their 30s. The pandemic has made Japan's gender gap in child care, already much wider than those in the U.S. and Europe, worse by forcing more women to stay home to take care of their children. Many experts worry that unless this gap is corrected, labor participation by women will stall, worsening the country's labor shortage.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly hard on working women in Japan as they shoulder the main burden of child care.
Datawatch
COVID worsens Japan's persistent gender gap in child care
Day care closures hit working moms disproportionately, deepening labor shortage
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