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2026/02/04

A widely discussed Japanese survey found that around 70% of married women reported regret or dissatisfaction with marriage at some point in their lives.
But here’s the context most headlines skip
This wasn’t about romance.
It was about labor, sacrifice, and freedom.
Women cited: • unequal household and caregiving work
• emotional neglect
• loss of independence after marriage
• being expected to “endure” rather than thrive
Many stayed married — not because they were happy,
but because divorce carries social stigma and financial risk in Japan.
This isn’t a story about women “choosing wrong men.”
It’s a story about systems that expect women to give more and receive less.
When marriage is unequal, regret isn’t personal — it’s structural.

Diane Lundrigan

That survey could be done in any country with similar results

Margaret Lewis

Women seem to be eventually waking up after centuries and centuries of brainwashing by the patriarchy. Disney also has a lot to answer for with the narrative of the knight on the white horse coming to rescue and SAVE young women, from their sad singledom. Women need to stop being a passenger in their OWN life and get into the driving seat.

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Ane Kala

Let's do this survey in EVERY country.

Kat Henderson

So, basically the same problems women face in marriage in the US. I wouldn't be surprised if this were a problem worldwide.

Samantha Shaw

It’s really important to convey this to young girls, to emphasise to girl children that their lives are to find their purpose & to have means in this world to earn a decent living

Sonia McDonnell

Maybe that's why statistics in the UK show that women thrive after divorce.

Margot Bernie

I'm pretty sure you can update this title and say "70% of women around the world" if not 100 in other countries when they had no choice.

Livewire Mona

Ask all the women in the world the same question...

Rowena Roopram

Unequal systems = unhappiness ! It’s a global imbalance .

Sam Willbur

100% regretted my first marriage swore off it altogether. 12 years later I found myself 100% over the moon about being married this second time. Lots and lots of frogs out there absolutely, all I’ve ever seen until now. So I know good men are out there, just not easy to find.

Candice Codell

So the same issue women were having in the US but there has now been a major shift with women initiating the majority of divorces, as well as the majority of women refusing romantic relationships altogether in the first place.

According to these studies conducted on birthrate decline— women feel better physically, emotionally AND financially— alone.

13h
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Derek Greenfield

How many men, same question? The unhappiness might not be tied to a specific gender.

21h
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Fiona Rivers

Most men and women regret who they marry. The lucky ones divorce and find happiness alone or with a person at the right place for them. I doubt we need research to know this, but it helps a lot to see the statistics and maybe help people really think and seek guidance before marriage. It is well y'all.

17h
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Angela Scobaka

And there is a way how to break that circle .Teach your sons that a woman is not a servant but a team mate.Kids they observe and copy parents paterns and bahaviours.

Bette Millat

70 percent of 287women surveyed not 70 percent of all Japanese women total.

Haru Kauge SaoirseDobhran

Other 30% didn't dare to say what they really think

Chloe Jayde

The more and more I think about - marriage only seems to benefit the man.

Susie Chan

I think is important for the parents and the education systems also to teach boys that they need to share the responsibilities. That marriage is a partnership and need to help their wives with the domestic and mental labour that is involved when you are married and especially after having children.

Dvj Deepak

Evidence to back this claim?

Niki Mc Twitchy

Married men live longer than single men, married women have shorter lives than single. Just about sums it up

Petra Tuunter

Interesting.

Is there a link or reference to this survey?

Nabasmita Devi

It would be more if done worldwide

James B. Wood

"At some point in their lives" That is a very low bar and Im sure married men, "at some point in their lives" have felt the same. So much emphasis on feelings, which are ephemeral. If you ask women (and men) if OVERALL they regret marrying their husband, you would be asking a very different question.

Serge Tellier

I have yet to meet a man who can honestly say that marriage has benefited him. Or a woman who can honestly say that marriage has benefited her.

However, I do know both men and women who say that fatherhood and motherhood has benefited them, their spouse and their children.

Grow up. Marriage is not about your or your spouse. You’ve each had your fair chance to be the child. Your role now, if you want what your parents had, good and/or bad, is to become the adults.

Attila Barsi

I think marriage, or simpler having a relationship is a compromise and most people nowadays do not want to compromise, make sacrifices, forgive the other, give another chance to the other etc. I have encountered women who gave up on their marriage and parterd their family (because of children) in their 30s. One of them is a very educated woman she lives a happy life with a new partner and they had another child. One of them got sick and struggles through life, she has never achieved the happiness she had before. So it can turn out both ways. But to the original issue: men are just as unhappy in their marriages, they just don't leave so easily as women do.

Мартин Георгиев

I wonder what the poll will say if men were asked

Joanne Brown

Discovered that they weren't supposed to be unhappy

Arthur Jones

99% of the men would say the same tho.

Radu Calin

and yet, the reality shows that is never enough on either sides. just stay single. most people would make terrible partners or parents anyway

Ashley Clemont

Damn it's true though women do more in the household in general whether he is present or not

Torvald Holst

Now ask the men how many regretted marrying their wifes.

Jasmine Hodges

Possibly 70% of all women

Rob Redling

So it’s not the men.

Suvidha Gupta Tayal

I think its 85% across the globe

Mitchell McLaughlan

I'm sure my wife does at times. She has been amazing in building us up to where we are now

Sarah Brown

Keywords: felt dissatisfaction at some point in their marriage, who hasn't??????

Mala Nadie Kowlessar

Japanese women or all women? Regardless I think the actual percentage is 99%.

Isaac Shapira

Did you ask the men? You can't really justify anything while only listening to one side.

Monixx Mona

It’s not JUST Japan. It’s every country. Hahahahaha

Masato Okada

I think that's a bit misleading. For example, if you thought 'I'm leaving him' just once after a minor spat, the answer would be 'YES.' even though They’ve made up and she is happy with their marriage now.

Callie Moran

Mean husbands are shielded in East Asia.

Scott Price

And what did their partners say......

Emily Outred

I was talking to my (male) partner about this yesterday. How incredibly frustrating the ‘male loneliness epidemic’ trope is- to yet again blame women for this and make it our problem. It’s obvious to me- we now just about have freedom for both sexes. The incel culture is so ridiculous. Women love men. We love them so much we want to be with them even if we don’t need to!! Men don’t need to financially support us anymore. All we want is an equal partnership, and them to be nice, and worthy of a partnership. Happy days!! No need for hate, blame. Incel ‘culture’. Hand wringing. It’s that simple. Be nice.

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Jade Pearsal

Woman worldwide are questioning marriage

Maciej Jaskulski

And 100 % of men regret even dealing with a woman (pycho child). At all

Amna Saeed

Make it 95% in pakistan.

Joseph Farrow

99% if men regret marring them. That's why men are walking away from marriage everywhere. Men want to be a husband and father. Modern women want an ATM provider without doing anything in return.

Chariss Sieger

Oh, wow only 70% haha

PH? 200%? Lol

Celine Kernot

Engaged and called of my wedding not for me! 30 now and have lost interest in dating

I’m FREE!!

Elvira Eunoia

Not Japanese but same

Mark Patterson

"at some point in their lives". I am a western man. This experience is universal. I have regretted my marriage as well. I don't now. You just carry on, and over time most marriages get better. It is not a Hollywood love story.

Most people probably regret their decision to study, their choice of house, their choice of career, everything, at some point. To highlight that is cynical. Focus on the marriages that have worked out and look at what they went through to make it work.

Sharon Luther

Arranged or love . Marriage itself pain in the .....

Chris Wilson

The husbands probably feel the same

Yana Ka

Where's the link to the survey?

Great Vinani

You went door to door asking them

damn

Zuza Kaszkur

Only 70%?

Jason White

If the survey question was worded the same as the first paragraph of this post, I’m surprised the results were that low. I’d imagine everyone regrets marriage at some point in their life.