In Japan female labor participation are steadily increasing over the past years, and number of the obsolete stereotypes about outright gender discrimination against women in the workplace have been gradually reducing. However, in Japanese society it is still rather difficult to combine a career with children and family, and employers often prefer men because they stay with companies longer and don't require maternity. Also there are a variety of reasons why Japanese women quit their jobs in mid-career. But the departure of married women from work is often attributed to the difficulties they face in balancing their jobs and family needs and they often have to choose between raising children and holding on to a job. This article analyses problems whichJapanese women are faced, if they decide to combine their career and family. How this decision may influence on women's lifelong careers when career interruption occurs in the childrearing phase. Since male-centeredJapanese-style employment practices depend on women assuming all housework and childcare, this prerequisite is in the process of collapsing as women in the childrearing phase continue to work.