Marriage Penalty: Unconditional Quantile Regression of Housework Participation in Japan

We analyze cross-sectional time-use diaries from the 2011 and 2016 Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities (Shakai Seikatsu Kihon Chosa) to investigate the association between educational level and housework participation at different quantiles. Using the unconditional quantile regression method, we test whether education is associated with less time spent on housework as the previous research on highly educated people suggests. We find that this hypothesis stands only for non-married Japanese women. On the other hand, among married Japanese women, especially those without children in higher deciles of housework participation, are more likely to increase their participation in housework with the increase in their educational level. The results suggest that in Japan, the institute of marriage places higher expectations on women’s housework participation on married women with higher levels of education.