Working Lives Tokyo: Housewife

In a country where the low birth rate is leading to a shrinking population, Haruka Hamada is proud to have three children, more than double the national average.

She had a job as a nursery school teacher but is now a stay-at-home mother.

"I learned the importance of early childhood, so I thought it is best for me to spend time with them when they are little," she says.

Her daily routine starts at 06:00 and ends at 23:00, with only the occasional hour or two to herself.

"Until I became a mother, I didn't know how difficult it was to raise kids and do all the housework," she says.

"I understand why Prime Minister [Shinzo] Abe says that the economy needs more women to work - but I wonder if he is listening to the actual mothers," she says.

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