By 2020, Japan's prime minister Shinzō Abe wants women to fill 30% of the nation's senior management roles. Yet despite efforts to get women into work, a growing number are targeting domestic bliss. Are dreams of a family funded by a high-earning husband anything more than a fairytale?

‘No sex please, we’re Japanese!’ Sensational headlines suggest that Japan’s sexual appetite is waning; half the population aren’t having sex. But as a country that boasts more sex establishments than there are McDonald’s outlets in America – with 1.4 million couples visiting them daily – is this lack of libido a myth?

In Japan, parents are doting on their children long into adulthood, often supporting them financially. As the nation’s elders struggle to be seen as capable members of society well in their golden years, they’re gesturing to their economic contributions to assert their power.

Despite Japan’s ageing population, the nation’s fertility rate has hit its highest level in 21 years, with the biggest contribution coming from women in their early 30s. But since having a child is expensive, the nation has been offering cash incentives for women to become parents.