Magazines have sprung up to guide them on everything from
"Child-rearing, the Male Way" to "How to Become a Beloved Dad", reflecting
the trendiness of being a hands-on parent.
"We're no longer living in an era when it's expected that men go out
and women stay home," said Tomohiro Shimizu, publisher of FQ Japan, which
stands for Father's Quarterly.
"Fathers in their 30s and 40s still feel a bit ashamed of being a doting parent. We want to change
that," added Shimizu, 39, who has a 3-year-old son.
FQ Japan debuted in December and the maiden issue featured Depp and the
words: "Be a Cool Dad" on the cover. The magazine also ran interviews with
celebrity fathers and had plenty of information on parenting products,
such as "stylish" buggies.
FQ was first published in Britain in 2003. Shimizu said that when he
raised the idea at the time of making a Japanese edition, colleagues said
it wouldn't sell.
Perceptions gradually changed, and several parenting magazines aimed at
the male reader have now hit newstands, some focusing on education, others
on fashion tips for the stylish father.
"Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, David Beckham the cool guys, all have
children," said Kiyohiko Okubo, publisher of Oceans, an up-market fashion magazine.
"Some playboy-types may have thought it was cool to go out secretly
with a woman," said Okubo. "But more and more men are starting to feel
that it is really cool to spend time with their family."
