Parenting leave policies in East Asia : developmentalist policy approach and varieties of familialism

East Asian societies, which have been under the influence of Confucian ethics, underwent profound and diverse socioeconomic transformations after the Second World War such as rapid economic growth, socialist reforms, and renewed engagement with global neoliberalism. These changes have led to major shifts in the roles and functions of the family, as witnessed in demographic patterns such as ultra-low fertility and rapid ageing. This chapter provides an overview of recent changes in maternity, paternity, and parental leave policies as well as other relevant regulations in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean societies that impact parenting leave practices. By looking closely at the similarities and differences in the current parenting leaves within East Asia, this chapter examines how the familialistic approach in East Asian welfare regimes, with its variants across the region, reinforces inequalities across gender and class instead of effectively responding to sociodemographic challenges