B5 Travel Blog #3

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Question: How does Japanese familial structure affect how a family runs a business? Which gender is more important, the male or female?

In the article "Adult adoptions: Keeping Japan's family firms alive", by Mariko Oi, the article explains how family businesses survive over the past century. In Japan, the oldest family business survived for 1,300 years due to adopting a son to carry the name. Whether it be a child or a daughter's husband, this method has been necessary for family businesses to survive. A famous example is the Suzuki car company, which has been led by adopted sons of CEOs. Many sons who have been adopted were scared to be adopted by another family who knew nothing about them, but they later accept that fate decided for this decision to happen. However, sons that are marry into the business are expected to know what the family needs from them in order for a easier management of the company to occur. Overall, adoption is a natural way for most family businesses to survive.

From this article, it explains that some of the oldest, well-known family businesses survive today is due to adopting sons into the family name. By using this method, companies can survive for over a century and still strive well in the present day. However, this article implies that daughters in the family are considered only for a way to produce a heir. As well, females in general are not important at all in the business world in Japan. In conclusion, the Japaneses familial structure affects a family business by making a requirement to have a son to take over at all times, thus making the daughter's only purpose to bring a heir to succeed.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19505088

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