COVID-19 explodes the myth that women ‘opt’ out of the workforce
While time away from work is often portrayed as a choice for women, the evidence shows that it’s usually a choice reluctantly made.
Measures need to be implemented to ensure that freelancers are treated fairly by their corporate clients.
New graduates hope for work-life balance rather than boardroom role
Working long hours to move up the job ladder is a lower priority for newly employed graduates in the nation, according to a recent survey published by the Japan Productivity Center (JPC). The 50th edition of the annual research, released Thursday, showed that over 40 ...
Prime time in worker-scarce Japan for investing in service robots
Faced with their worst labor shortage in decades, Japanese service companies are finally turning to labor-saving technology, an investment that could lift the sector's woeful level of productivity and allow them to raise wages. While the nation's manufacturers are renowned for deploying advanced robotics, most ...
IMF urges Japan to boost foreign, female and elderly labor participation
The International Monetary Fund has called on Japan to promote the use of foreign workers and the participation of women and elderly people in the labor market as part of efforts to achieve firmer and sustained growth. In its assessment of the Japanese economy following ...
Japan's real wages up 0.1% on year, the first rise in five months
Japan's real wages in May gained 0.1 percent from a year earlier for the first rise in five months, the government said Friday. Total cash earnings per worker, including base and overtime pay, increased 0.7 percent to an average ¥270,241 (around $2,300), the second consecutive ...
Japan aims to attract more foreign workers amid growth in tourism
The government compiled a plan Tuesday to ease visa restrictions for foreign workers in designated special economic zones to address the growing need for tourism services. The move signals a shift in the nation's immigration policy, which has traditionally focused on allowing only highly skilled ...
Redefining Japan's 'seniors' to older age may free up still agile workforce
When do you become a senior citizen? That's an increasingly important question in Japan, demographically the world's oldest nation, where the challenge is to keep people healthy and productive as they live longer. The answer should be 75, 10 years older than many people think now, ...
Major Japanese firms' winter bonuses up for fourth straight year
Winter bonuses at Japanese companies employing more than 500 people averaged ¥880,736 ($7,500), up 0.02 percent from the previous year and rising for the fourth straight year, the country's major business lobby said Wednesday. Winter bonuses at Japanese manufacturers averaged ¥900,490, up 0.47 percent and ...
Abe administration presents draft guideline for 'equal pay for equal work'
The government has unveiled a draft guideline for a system of "equal pay for equal work" regardless of employment status. The draft, presented Tuesday at a government meeting for promoting employment reforms, stipulates that companies should provide equal payment to nonregular employees who engage in ...
Half a million societal drop-outs drag on Abe's economic dreams
Nagisa Hirai was an active child who loved playing soccer with the boys. But that early happiness dissipated on her first day at elementary school when she became frightened after being unable to find her classroom. Over time, she became a hikikomori, a Japanese term ...
