Abstract
Increasing numbers of Japanese women remain single after the traditionally “marked” marriageable age of twenty-something. Interpersonal relationships are very important and influential for Japanese women remaining single. I interviewed thirty always-single Japanese women in Japan to examine their interpersonal relationships. Content-analysis of the interview data revealed three themes that relate to the women's interpersonal relationships: family dependency and responsibility, social support, and relationship issues that prevent marriage. These themes suggest that single women's role as a daughter and/or family member, romantic experiences, and relationships with other women influence their identity construction. Women's accounts, moreover, presented various interrelated relationship issues, suggesting the importance of understanding the history and continuity of relationships.
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