S8 Ep41: Bertrand: Why Japanese men don’t take paternity leave

In this episode of VoxTalks Economics, Tim Phillips interviews Marianne Bertrand about her research on why Japanese men are reluctant to take paternity leave despite the generous terms offered by the government. Bertrand's research indicates high awareness of the policy but a misperception among men about how their employers and peers view paternity leave. The study uses an innovative approach by employing an animated video to correct these misperceptions and encourage men to take advantage of the leave. The initial findings suggest that this narrative-based information delivery is more effective than traditional information provision in updating beliefs and influencing behavior. The research aims to address Japan's demographic challenges by promoting gender balance in childcare responsibilities, encouraging more women to work and increasing the fertility rate.