Disillusioned by long hours at home alone and by demands from the older generation, Japanese women are marrying later, resulting in a sharp decline in the Japanese birth rate. Muriel Jolivet considers the reasons why Japanese women are finding it increasingly difficult to accept the terms and conditions of motherhood.Japan: The Childless Society explores the major factors contributing to maternal malaise in Japan including:* the 'Ten Commandments of the Good Mother'* the changing role of the father* education and careers* nostalgia from older generations