Women who work? Not in Japan

TOKYO -- Most Japanese companies are not ready to accept the idea of having female employees work at home or provide them with

child care facilities in the corporate workplace, according to a government survey.

The Economic Planning Agency conducted the survey to find what working women would need to have children.

The most common answers were "fewer working hours," "the ability to work at home," and "day-care centers within the company."

Most of the 289 companies with 500 or more employees that responded said they do not have the three programs most cited by the women nor do they have plans to introduce them.