Abstract
In the mid-1990s, the unemployment rate in Japan was still extremely low compared with other industrialised countries such as the USA and those in the EU. The recession of the Japanese domestic economy raised the unemployment rate to 2.9 % (June, 1994), which was still lower than that of other industrialised countries but a similar level as during the oil crisis in Japan (2.8 % in 1986). One of the reasons for the low level of unemployment in Japan was explained by the term ‘lifetime employment system’, which was supported by employers and workers as an implicit agreement in an enterprise. The benefits of this practice were that it enabled social partners to secure employment continuation prior to other concerns of workers. This well-known approach, however, led to a misunderstanding of the real employment situation in Japan. A large number of employees in an enterprise did not necessarily have their initial employment connections protected for life; rather, most of them had the option of retiring early.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Japanese long-term employment practice can be proved if you observe the applicable coverage of employees who had worked for 20 years in 1995. Around 56 % of white-collar workers had worked for 20 years while 32 % of German workers worked for the same period in the 1970s. There were few differences in the length of time worked on average between Germany and other industrialised countries.
- 2.
This explanation is basically in accordance with the presentation of Koichiro Imano at the Japan–Singapore joint symposium on HRD, held in Singapore in March 1997.
- 3.
Lynch, L.M. (1994), Training and the Private Sector, The University of Chicago Press, pp. 9–13.
Bibliography
Aoki, M. (1984). Aspect of the Japanese firm. In M. Aoki (Ed.), The economic analysis of the Japanese firm. Amsterdam: North Holland.
Bratton, J. (1992). Japanization at work (p. 28). London: The Macmillan Press.
Business Research Institute. (2003). Tokyo, January.
Debroux, P. (2003). Human resource management in Japan: Changes and uncertainties (p. 41). Burlington, VT: Ashgate.
Dekker, W. (2013). Global mindset and leadership effectiveness. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Gasskov, V. (Ed.). (1994). Alternative schemes of financing training. Geneva: ILO.
Hanami, T. (1991, October 29–30). The workers participation in Japan, a presented paper in an international symposium on ‘industrial relations in Japan and European community’ held in Brussels.
ILO. (1973). Human resources development: Vocational guidance and vocational training, report VIII (1), International Labour Conference 59th Session 1974.
ILO. (1993). Social effects on structural change in banking, tripartite meeting o the social effects on structural change in banking, Geneva.
ILO. (1994). The role of private employment agencies in the functioning of labour markets, report 6 International Labour Conference, 81st session, Geneva.
ILO. (1998). World Employment 1996/1997.
Ishida, H. (1998). Educational credentials and labour-market entry outcomes in Japan, from school to work: A comparative study of educational qualifications and occupational destinations, Edited by Yossi Shavit and Walter. Muller: Clarendon Press Oxford.
Japan Institute of Labour, JIL. (1989). International comparative study on occupational adoption of Youth.
JIL. (1990–1992). Comprehensive study on newly graduates’ labour market.
Kariya, T. (1998). ‘From High School and College to Work in Japan’, From School to Work: A Comparative Study of Educational Qualifications and Occupational Destinations, Edited by Yossi Shavit and Walter. Muller: Clarendon Press Oxford.
Koike, K. (1994, March). Dealing with flexibility on the shop floor, a presented paper in the conference ‘human resources development—preparing for the 21st century’, a US–Japan symposium, Washington.
Lynch, Lisa M. (1994). Training and the private sector, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, pp. 9 to 13.
Ministry of Labour in Japan. (1994a). Human Resources Development Administration.
Ministry of Labour in Japan. (1994b). White paper on labour. In Japanese (Ed.), OECD (1993). Paris: Employment Outlook.
Nikkeiren (Japan Federation of Employers’ Associations). (1995, August). Japanese management in the new age.
Nikkeiren. (1996). The follow-up of ‘Japanese management in the new age’: 1996.
OECD. (1996, July). OECD Employment outlook.
OECD. (1997a). Job insecurity, Employment Outlook.
OECD. (1997b). Implementing the OECD jobs strategy: Member countries’ experience.
Psacharopoulos, G., & Woodhall, M. (1985). Education for development: An analysis of investment choices. Oxford: The World Bank, Oxford University Press.
Stiglitz, J. (1997, September 17). Can aid facilitate development? A new vision for development cooperation in the 21st century, speech delivered in Tokyo.
Takahashi, H. (2013). The challenge for Japanese multinationals (p. 168). UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kuriyama, N. (2017). The Employment Situation in Japan and the Effects of Human Resource Development on the Globalisation of Asia in the 1990s. In: Japanese Human Resource Management. Palgrave Macmillan Asian Business Series. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43053-9_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43053-9_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43052-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43053-9
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)