Japanese Parents Apologize For Pregnancy, Job Lectures Them For 'Breaking Rules'

A Japanese couple apologized for getting pregnant "before their turn" after the woman had been reprimanded by her boss for "selfishly breaking the rules."

The unidentified mother worked at a private childcare facility in the Aichi Prefecture in Northern Japan when she discovered she was pregnant, the Metro reported.

However, the timing of her pregnancy reportedly conflicted with the schedule assigned by the center’s manager who criticized the woman and her husband for not honoring the office rules —which state when female employees can have children and get married.

News of the matter surfaced when the expecting mother’s husband penned a letter to Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, revealing how his wife felt about the ordeal, reports the Metro.

"The director at the child care center where she works had determined the order in which workers could get married or pregnant, and apparently there was an unspoken rule that one must not take their 'turn' before a senior staff member," the man wrote.

"Childcare providers sacrifice their own children to care for the children of others. It is a noble profession that nurtures children who will forge the future of this country."

He added: "I respect my wife for her commitment to her profession, and continue to encourage her. The conditions of those working to nurture and care for children are evidence of a backward country."

The couple went up to the woman’s job to apologize to the director of the business in person, but the husband said that management continued to scold his wife.

Workers at the facility previously received an email stating that "work gets backed up if four or more people take time off at the same time. Selfish behavior will be subject to punishment," according to Lastly.com. The woman reportedly had issues getting pregnant and was told by a supervisor that she would have to wait until age 35 to do so.

The incident comes as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received backlash for plans to improve female participation in the workforce by asking women to both birth more children and continue to work more to save the struggling economy without providing proper childcare. ​