A Comparative Study of Economic and Social Support for Single Parent Families in Japan and Sweden

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03341
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social law
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Nakano Taeko 名古屋大学, 法学研究科, 教授 (50313060)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: スウェーデン / 遺族年金 / 保育制度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sweden's survivor pension system for spouses is equal for men and women, and in principle provides a fixed-term benefit of one year. This system is based on the premise that both men and women of working age can, in principle, become economically independent through employment. Although there are some problems such as differences in the work structure between men and women, wage disparity, and the economic difficulties of single-mother households, these problems are considered to be the responsibility of labor market policies and social security benefits other than pensions. And behind the high rate of women's employment in the country is the development of social services that are de-familialized and universalistic. Public nursing care and childcare have freed women from family responsibilities and provided them with opportunities to work. With regard to nursing care, however, a trend toward re-familialization has been noted due to the aging population and financial deterioration.

Free Research Field

社会保障法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

わが国の遺族年金制度は、男性片働きモデルを前提とし、今日においても男性よりも女性を優遇する仕組みとなっている。この問題について、平成29年最高裁判決は合憲の判断を下したが、共働きが一般化した今日においては遺族年金もより男女間の平等に配慮したものとなることが望ましい。公的な保育・介護サービスの充実によって女性の就労を支えることを前提に、男女平等の有期給付を提供するスウェーデンの遺族年金制度は、年金制度と他の社会保障制度および労働市場政策との間での役割分担を考えるうえで参考になる。