Will the Japanese Divorce Rate Go Up?

New pension laws coming into effect in Japan could lead to an explosion in divorces, some experts are warning. The BBC reports that the new rules will make it easier for wives to claim up to half their husband's pension once the marriage is over.

The number of divorces in Japan has been rising for several decades, but the trend reversed four years ago when the new laws were first discussed. BBC says many experts believe that wives in unhappy marriages were waiting for the new laws to come into effect in April 2007.

Japan's divorce rate is still quite low - around two divorces for every 1,000 marriages.