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The labor shortage in Japan is at its highest in more than four decades, according to new government data. Low birth rates and an aging population have resulted in a shrinking workforce.
There are currently 1.48 jobs for every applicant, the highest figure since 1974 when fast growth drove the ratio to 1.53. The data outpaces the labor shortage peak in the early 1990s, during the country's period of economic stagnation.
[...] The analyst said the number of women and older people who have been joining the labor force has increased, as "the labor shortage is forcing companies to hire people who previously weren't looking for work."
Source: RT
[T]he number of families living on an income lower than the public welfare assistance level more than doubled in the 20 years after the asset price bubble popped in 1992, according to a study by Kensaku Tomuro of Yamagata University.
Now 16 percent of Japanese children live below the poverty line, according to Health Ministry statistics, but among single-parent families, the rate hits 55 percent. Poverty rates in Osaka are among the worst.
[...] Children of single or poor parents often are ostracized in their communities, Tokumaru said, noting that other parents do not want their children playing with children from a "bad house."
Source: The Washington Post
(Score: 3, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday May 31 2017, @01:11PM (6 children)
Single parents are expected to be poor in a nation where women make up a significant part of the workforce. When you increase the supply of labor by 50%, the demand goes down in accordance. Thus wages go down. Thus it is essentially a requirement that you have two people in the household working.
As for the jobs situation, that corrects itself soon enough in a capitalist society. If an employer cannot fill a necessary job at what they want to pay, they are eventually forced to pay more than they want to pay. This leads to other jobs with a similar skill level having to pay a similar amount or risk not being able to fill it when the current occupant leaves for one of the better paying jobs. Thus wages across the board begin to rise until the demand for labor is no longer as high.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 31 2017, @02:03PM (4 children)
And when they collude to keep wages low?
Or bleat to the government that they can't afford to pay minimum wage plus taxes plus shareholder dividends, so please can we have some corporate welfare (and here's a small contribution to your campaign fund so we understand each other)?
What you've described is textbook capitalism; the rhetorical questions above are closer to what actually happens in a capitalist system when it is left to self-regulate. Capitalism is a useful slave, but as master it will consume all it touches.
(Score: 3, Funny) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday May 31 2017, @02:12PM (3 children)
Irrelevant if they actually want those jobs filled. The cold hard fact is they will not be filled unless they start paying more. Importing labor is not an issue in Japan. They have an aversion to foreigners just this side of xenophobic.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday May 31 2017, @02:46PM (2 children)
"just this side of xenophobic."
That would be more meaningful, if you told us which side of the xenophobic line you are on. ;^)
(Score: 3, Touché) by Gaaark on Wednesday May 31 2017, @04:02PM (1 child)
Whatever side the xeno's aren't on!
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 01 2017, @12:31PM
The side with Bacon.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 31 2017, @05:14PM
Not very likely, in Japan job-hopping is rare for full time jobs. You usually keep working for the same company until retirement. If you get sacked because of the bad economy or whatnot, you're likely to be stuck with the part time jobs for the rest of your life, as companies are wary of hiring people not fresh out of school.