ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the family policy in East Asia must address changing trends and their impact on family structure and values. The fundamental challenge to the existing situation arises from the conflict among three needs: the individual's need for autonomy and self-development, the family's need for stability and integrity, and the need to sustain social development. Takahashi has rightly pointed that, in Japan, support for citizens private lives is still controversial as individual rights have not been acknowledged by policies and decision-makers. In the case of Korea, Soma points out that the First Stage of the Basic Plan for Healthy Families has led to the implementation of policy measures for more diverse families with the objective of achieving gender and generational harmony. The number of workers squeezed between the demands of their parents and their children is growing in East Asia. A more comprehensive policy is necessary to address the needs of the sandwich generation.
