Comparing Family-Friendly Policies in Japan and Lithuania

Accompanying to the society change after World War II, family relationship and neighbor’s relationship have undergone substantial changes in Japan and in Lithuanian. Family influence on educational performance, as well as moral attitudes of Japanese and Lithanians have been declining. One of reasons for that is losing a strict father because fathers do not have time at home due to overwork. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology fully revised the Fundamental Law of Education in 2006 and the preparedness for Moral Education and reinforcement of Family Education to improve the situation. In Lithuania Ministry of Education and Science in February, 2007 approved the Order No. ISAK-179 „On preparation for family life and sexual education Program“. There is no systematized form of Family Education yet in Japan, it is entrusted to each family. However, there is a general Japanese family education for obtaining benevolence that is influenced by Japanese religions. The Family-Friendly policies in Japan and Lithuania included some successful practical activities (case studies) on positive parenting policies on national and local levels. The interventions and discussions illustrated that, even though the priorities, resources and concrete measures in the field of family policy in Japan and Lithuania has similar trends and interruptions.