Man Loses Suit Over Wife's Refusal to do Housework
TOKYO, 1 Aug 97 -- A Japanese court has ruled in favour of a
33-year-old woman who divorced her husband after he demanded that she do
all the cooking, cleaning and laundry even though she held a full-time
job, court officials said on Friday.
The woman's husband, a 35-year-old public servant, filed a lawsuit
demanding his wife pay 4.5 million yen ($38,100) in damages for refusing
to live with him soon after their marriage and ultimately divorcing him,
media reports said.
The Tokyo District Court on Thursday turned down the husband's demand
for damages but ordered the wife to return a one million yen ($8,400)
betrothal gift and her wedding ring.
"There was a reason for the wife to take passive action against the
marriage," said Presiding Judge Hiroto Waki.
The husband demanded that his wife cook breakfast every morning, iron
his trousers and clean the house although she had a full-time job,
according to the ruling.
It said the woman argued that the couple needed to live near her office
in order for her to be able to do all the housework the husband asked
for, but he had turned down all nine houses suggested by a real estate
agent.
The names of the couple were not disclosed.
($1-118 yen)