The worst crisis in a century is eroding the Japanese economy as a growing number of "nonregular" workers lose their jobs. The unemployment rate in December reached 4.4 percent, up 0.5 percentage point from the previous month — the steepest increase ever. The labor ministry estimates that by the end of March a total of 124,802 nonregular workers will have lost their jobs since October. An association of staffing agencies estimates up to 400,000.

During the yearend and new year holidays, as many as 500 jobless people rushed to a makeshift tent village set up in Hibiya Park in Tokyo to accommodate those made homeless. The number became so large that the ministry had to open its auditorium to take in some of them.

This is not the first time that workers in Japan have lost their jobs due to a recession, but never before have social problems stemming from unemployment been so serious. The reason for that is a sharp increase in the number of nonregular workers who can be fired easily, who are not paid enough to save money, and who have no recourse when they lose their jobs.