Support groups proposed several steps to the government and opposition on Monday to strengthen the safety net for laid-off temp workers ahead of an expected increase in their number at the end of March.

"The recent temp-worker layoffs show how people can fall into an unstable situation under these circumstances without a safety net once the economy turns downward," said Makoto Yuasa, the head of the support groups, citing insufficient employment insurance and difficulty in receiving welfare benefits as weaknesses in the current system.

Yuasa, who also works for the nonprofit organization Moyai Independent Life Support Center, said there are three proposals that need to be put into place by March.