Love or Concern?

In European countries private lifestyles have diversified since the 1970s and the family consisting of a married couple and their children has become merely one of various kinds of lifestyle. The position of love has also changed; love has played a key role in relations both outside and inside marriage. In contrast to this what is longed for Japan in the 21st century is the institutional family rather than the ‘pure relationship’ although there has been a strong tendency to seek relationships in the intimate sphere. Why are the seemingly contradictive phenomena on intimacy observed between them? This study will grapple with it focusing on the constellation of the family in society the modality of the individual and the dyad of a (married) couple and the concept of love. This book will appeal to students and professionals in the areas of sociology and Japan studies.