In recent years, both American and Japanese people have experienced dramatic changes in the world of work. To compare Japanese and American work ethics and attitudes toward women's employment, Japanese and English versions of the Work/Family Ethic questionnaire were completed by 205 middle-aged Japanese and American adults. An analysis of the results indicated that Japanese respondents, when compared with Americans, preferred large to small organizations, were more group oriented, more patriotic, more loyal to employer and family, and more desirous of leisure time. Compared with Americans, Japanese respondents were more likely to believe that women's place should be in the home, that wives' or mothers' employment might be harmful to marriage or children, and that mothers should not work outside the home when there are children in the family. By contrast, American respondents were more likely to believe that women could handle both home and career, that women should be free to choose whether they work outside the home or not, and that women should feel free to work despite husbands' feelings or the presence of children in the family. Future research should focus on the work ethics and attitudes of different age cohorts. (Author/BL)