Working Mothers in Asia: How Japan Compares to Singapore and Malaysia

In many parts of Asia, women work two full-time jobs—one at the office, and one at home. They raise children, manage households, and still meet work deadlines. These mothers carry a heavy load, and often, they do it with little support or recognition. While motherhood and career can go together, the systems around them often make that difficult.

As mothers, we’ve seen this reality through the experiences of our team members in Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia. Among them is Maiko Miyashita, who is now Administrative Manager at Leave a Nest Singapore. Her story, along with insights from others like Mahirah Basri from Leave a Nest Malaysia, shows how support for working mothers is not equal across Asia—and where the gaps still are.

A Voice from Experience

Before moving to Singapore, Maiko worked in Japan. Her goal was to work until she turned 70 in a job that let her keep learning and contributing. That dream didn’t disappear after she became a mother, but it had to adjust to reality.

In 2013, she gave birth and applied for childcare, only to find that more than 100 babies were already on the waiting list. That moment made it clear: Japan’s systems weren’t built for mothers who wanted to keep working.

Now, Maiko balances work, parenting, and an MBA in Singapore. She says, “The challenge isn’t just time, it’s the expectations. Mothers are expected to manage everything perfectly. That needs to change.”

🇯🇵 How Japan Compares to Singapore and Malaysia

Japan has made some progress in supporting working women, but it’s been slow. Until the early 2000s, most women were expected to quit their jobs after marriage or having children. After 2002–2003, women were encouraged to continue working, but usually in part-time roles. Full-time jobs remained rare due to limited childcare and cultural beliefs that caregiving is the mother’s responsibility.

The government has tried to increase the number of women in leadership positions, but many women don’t receive the training or support to move into those roles. Childcare support is also limited, in particular, childcare for sick children has remained largely unchanged for the past 12 years. When a child is ill, mothers are expected to take time off work to care for them. While this is important, it prevents women in management positions from advancing in their careers, especially if they hold critical roles. Surprisingly, in municipalities with populations of 200,000, there are only a few dozen public childcare facilities for sick children.

📊 Chart 1: Household Type Trends in Japan (1980–2024)

More and more women in Japan are working. Dual-income families are now more common than full-time housewife households. But systems like childcare and job flexibility haven’t grown fast enough to support them.

📊 Chart 2: Working Hours of Couples in Japan (2014 vs. 2024)

Most couples still follow a pattern where the husband works full-time and the wife works part-time. Few couples share work and caregiving equally. This makes it harder for mothers to build long-term careers.

🇸🇬 Singapore: Structured and Supportive

In Singapore, many mothers go back to full-time work after having a baby. People accept this, and there are systems to support them. Childcare centres are easy to find, and many families also have domestic helpers to help with housework and looking after the kids.

The government gives financial help and childcare subsidies to make family life less stressful. These systems—along with supportive workplace rules and social acceptance—make it easier for mothers to manage both work and family.

But even in a country like Singapore, where support is strong, working mothers still feel pressure. Time is tight, and many feel they must do well at work while also handling everything at home. This shows that even in well-prepared places, society still expects a lot from mothers.

🇲🇾 Malaysia: Flexible Childcare Ecosystem

Malaysia supports working mothers with a flexible childcare system. Nurseries are available across all income levels. They offer full-day and half-day services, sometimes from as early as 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Even stay-at-home mothers often enrol their children in nursery for social development.

Private and government-linked nurseries are both available, and some companies even include childcare inside the office building as part of employee benefits. This flexibility helps many mothers continue working.

Still, cost remains a challenge. Mahirah Basri from Leave a Nest Malaysia says:

“Yeah, it’s flexible, and that’s great, but as a mom, it’s still a struggle. Good quality childcare comes with a price, and it’s an extra financial load we have to constantly think about.”

Working Isn’t Just a Job—It’s Freedom

For Maiko, work is not only about money. It’s about independence, confidence, and the freedom to choose. She says some women in Japan stay in difficult relationships because they don’t have their own income. That’s why she tells younger women to keep working, so they have more control over their lives.

“Work, even just a little. Because in the end, it’s about more than money. It’s about freedom. It’s about self-worth. It’s about being able to make your own decisions.”

Since becoming a mother, Maiko says she has become more efficient and focused. What used to take hours, she now does in one. Being a mom didn’t slow her down, it sharpened her skills.

What Needs to Change

Helping working mothers isn’t just about writing new policies or opening more childcare centres. It’s about changing how society sees them. We need to move from expecting mothers to “do it all,” to truly respecting what they’re already doing.

That means listening to their needs and building systems that make life easier at work, at home, and everywhere in between. It means recognising working mothers as key contributors, not just caregivers.

Because behind every strong organisation there  is a woman balancing work, home, and her own dreams and still showing up to build something that matters.