This research describes sex roles and divisions of labor observed in families of origin by contemporary Japanese (n=1,000) and contemporary preferences for division or sharing of family tasks. It then compares these preferences to determine whether significant differences exist between men and women in contemporary Japan. For their present and future family life, these Japanese subjects preferred a division of labor in which wives take primary responsibility for housework and husbands take primary responsibility for home maintenance, "breadwinning," and decision making. While the Japanese women tended to think wives should be more responsible than husbands for maintenance of health and management of finances, Japanese men appeared to desire an equal share of these responsibilities. Both Japanese men and women indicated a preference for equal sharing of responsibilities involving education, discipline, recreation, birth control, and communication with relatives. These Japanese men and women differed significantly in their preferences regarding division or sharing of five traditional family tasks. The women wanted more equality or sharing of tasks related to housework, education, "breadwinning," and decision making. The men wanted more equality or sharing of tasks related to maintenance of health. These findings were construed as issues warranting communication and negotiation in family relationships in contemporary Japan. References are included. (Author/TE)