Pressed by an ever-increasing number of people working as temps, both the government and temp agencies are trying to increase measures to make life more secure for the workers in this category.

On May 1, the Temporary Workers' Health Insurance Union was established, becoming the first group of its kind.

"Amid the liquidation of many health insurance unions, this is the first time in 13 years that such an union was newly formed in Tokyo," said its director, Reizo Mohri, adding that its membership has reached 110,000 workers employed at 132 companies.