In a culture where work often comes first and families second, there's a kernel of a movement afoot to change that. Mitsutoshi Fukatsu's story is a typical one.
Now with retirement looming, he wants to get to know his wife better. He calls her by her name, Setsuko, instead of just grunting. And he says he recently learned a new phrase: "I love you."
Fukatsu, 56, is among a small but growing group of men who took part in Japan's second annual "Beloved Wives Day" last week in hopes of salvaging their marriages by doing something different — paying attention to their wives.
What's behind this? Well, demographics and financial changes, for one, but also an organization called the Japan Adoring Husbands Association.
...Last year, the Japan Adoring Husbands Association set itself up and designated Jan. 31 as a day for men to return home at the unusually early hour of 8 p.m., look into their wives' eyes, and say, "Thank you."
On Wednesday, the village where the association is based held a renewal-of-vows ceremony for a local couple in their 50s and handed out prizes to three top "doting husbands."
And how does Setsuko feel about his new phrase?
"I had never told Setsuko I love her — not like that. But now I want to say it more often. ... It feels nice," he said.
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