Sato: I spent a great deal of time with my elder child during childcare leave. Until then, this had not been the case on weekdays because I often got home quite late, so I was delighted to spend so many hours together during childcare leave because it gave me the chance to observe my child's growth at close quarters. At the same time, I also learned that childrearing is a really tough job. In fact, my wife's discharge from the hospital was delayed because she had to undergo an emergency operation, so I spent several weeks together with my elder child, just the two of us. In the process, I discovered that looking after a child by myself was much tougher than I had expected. Since this made me really experience how hard it must be for my wife each day, I believe this brought us closer as husband and wife, and we have come to understand each other better in our conversations. We now have two children, so the burden of child rearing has increased even further, and I am more involved in doing what a parent should do.

Kusui: Like Sato-san, I spent six months together with my children, and consider it to have been an extremely valuable time. Since my wife and I both work, daily life was already a balancing act trying to keep up with housework and childcare, so until I took leave there were few chances for the two of us to relax and chat over a meal. During my leave, however, my wife, children and I were able to engage in lots of idle chatter while eating lunch or planning what to eat for dinner, giving me a strong sense of how precious and important the family is. Another great thing is that it gave me time to think more deeply about my past, and my future with my family. As I considered the purpose of my work, I felt I was discovering a wider range of options for my future life. I am delighted that I have been able to experience things like this through my children.

Kitagawa: As we were expecting our first child, I valued our time together as a couple, while making preparations to heighten my feelings as a father. Once our child was born, however, I was totally unable to do anything father-like. I got very confused about dealing with a crying baby: Was the baby hungry? Did I need to change her diaper? It's obvious, but the baby and I are thinking of different things, so I have to observe the child carefully to understand her needs. Being involved in child rearing for a month, I gradually grew as a father, while at the same time becoming aware once again that thinking of others lies at the roots of communication.

Sato: I want to tell male colleagues who are thinking of taking childcare leave or vacations to talk very well with their partners, not just their bosses. Although partners seem to welcome it if their spouses take childcare leave or vacations, I believe they will also worry that it might cause inconvenience in the workplace and wonder what will happen about their income while they are on leave. When my wife worried about things like this, I explained Sony's childcare leave scheme, the situation in my workplace, how many other colleagues were taking leave, and how it would not pose any problems in terms of career or income. I think the best thing is to discuss things fully with your partner, and determine the optimal period for taking leave together with your family.

Kusui: Sato-san and I are both members of the DIVI@Sony* employee project for promoting diversity activities within Japan, and make the most of our own experiences in hosting seminars for fathers, which recommend that employees take childcare leave or vacations. We come across many male employees who are fretting over whether to take leave or not, and find that their biggest worry is their work. Of course, work is important, but their partners put their lives on the line when they give birth, and looking after the newborn child begins within 24 hours. I believe that making time to be involved at such challenging moments is surely a very important duty for anyone. Company organizations are there for employees to support each other, and if someone helps you, then it is enough for you help someone else in the future. I would like to see everyone make use of such schemes to support their lifetime families during the toughest times they will face.

• *DIVI is short for "Diversity Initiative for Value Innovation"

Kitagawa: If I find someone who is agonizing over whether to take childcare leave, I tell them frankly that it is better to take it. My initial feeling was that since there was a childcare leave scheme for male employees, I might as well try it when our first child was born. Now, however, I am really thankful that I did try it. Babies grow remarkably quickly in the first month after they are born, and it was exciting to watch our child's expressions develop each day. You can only experience something like this if you take childcare leave for a certain length of time. I also feel that concentrating on child rearing even for a short period enabled me to grow both as a father and as a person. If I come across a male employee like myself, I will definitely recommend that he take childcare leave or vacation.