The rise of freeters and their relationship to the Japanese workforce and economy - Essay Example

of the of the Freeters and Japanese Economy Freeter is a term that was coined to describe individuals that do not have permanent employment and engage in part time works to earn a living. The term is especially used with reference to Japanese youngsters where the number of freeters is extremely large. The young population of Japan has turned their backs on Japanese values of hard work and company loyalty. Many of the freeters consider life-time employment practice of Japan as burdensome and prefer short term, part-time employments over it.

As said by Tomoyuki Iwashita, “My life rapidly became reduced to a shuttle between the dorm and the office.” (Iwashita)The youngsters are more lured towards living their life according to their own interest, which would allow them more freedom and time to pursue their hobbies and thus they prefer leisure over hard work (Brooke). The culture of becoming a freeter reached its apex during the economic recession that the country underwent in the 1990s. Japanese companies have always valued their senior workers and prefer them over young graduates.

During the mid 1990s, recession was at its peak and as a result, the companies started to become more selective in their recruitment procedures. In the past graduates were trained and promised good employment prospects but after recession, only a few lucky ones ended up with a job while the rest had to face unemployment. The consequence of this was that even though the youth wanted to pursue long-term jobs, they did not get adequate opportunities and a large number of freeters were created. The government also relaxed the company laws allowing large companies to hire part-time employees.

This created a huge gap between permanent employees, who enjoyed high pays, promotions and job security and the freeters who worked at relatively low pay scales (Nathan). Freeters have become a growing concern for the companies and the government. The number of so many unemployed youth poses a serious threat to the economy of the country. The government of Japan is providing subsidies to companies to encourage them to hire employees on permanent basis. In addition, Job placement firms are being established that can ensure employment for these freeters.

The increase in the number of freeters have changed Japanese notion of work and employment. Work sharing practices are being encouraged. Previously people were wary of working abroad and preferred to stay in their country; however reduced job prospects have forced them to hunt for job overseas and many Japanese now prefer to shift overseas to establish their careers (Smith). The freeter mindset is acting as an obstacle in Japanese road to economic recovery. Japan is a country with declining population growth and is one of the most expensive countries in the world; hence its economy needs to recover from the blows it has suffered (Smith, Japan's Economic Stagnation Is Creating a Nation of Lost Youths).

Due to the increased number of freeters, the country lacks in the experienced and skilled workers. Hence even when new projects are established, foreign labor needs to be hired to fill in important positions, which adds to a further economic burden on the country. The number of freeters is still rapidly increasing. The government needs to take strict measures to reduce freeter culture and promote long-term employment for rapid recovery of the economy. Works Cited Brooke, James. "Young Japanese Breaking Old Salaryman's Bonds.

" New York Times 16 10 2001. Iwashita, Tomoyuki. "Why I Quit the Company." New Internationalist Magazine May 1992. Nathan, John. Japan Unbound: A Volatile Nation's Quest for Pride and Purpose. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2004. Smith, Charles Hugh. Japan's Economic Stagnation Is Creating a Nation of Lost Youths. 06 08 2010. 01 06 2011.