(Selected information on social & labour developments in Japan)
August
2001
Further increase in unemployment rate
The unemployment rate for July had reached 5 per cent for the first time since the survey began in 1953. The figure climbed by 0.1 percentage point since June. The rates were 5.2 per cent and 4.7 per cent for men and women, respectively. The number of the unemployed increased by 7.5 per cent from a year before to 3.3 million. One of the factors contributing to the growth of unemployment figures is the increasing number of voluntary resignation. The government had begun providing an emergency subsidy for job creation for the next six months beginning 29 August. A sum of 300,000 yen (roughly US$2,500 at the current exchange rate) per newly recruited person will be given to companies. It can be expected that more people will become unemployed as a result of the structural reform the government will pursue.
Employment safety net to be provided
The Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry will seek 205.8 billion yen (roughly US$1.7 billion) in budget requests for fiscal 2002 to help build a safety net for people expected to leave their jobs under the Government's structural reforms. The amount, if approved, would be used to subsidize companies that accept people who had left their jobs because of corporate restructuring. The assistance would include special subsidies for the construction sector, and about 16.8 billion yen (roughly US$138 million) is expected to be used for measures to support the shift in labour.
Different family names for married couples?
According to a public opinion survey by the Cabinet Office, the people who approve of the revision of the Civil Code to allow married couples to have different family names outnumbered those who do not think so. Those who are for the revision were 42 per cent, while those who are against were 30 per cent. The previous survey conducted in 1996 showed that those who are against the revision were at 39.8 per cent, more than those who approve of the revision. In Japan, married couples must choose either the husband's or the wife's family name. In practice, many couples choose the husband's surname. The wives who work sometimes retain their maiden name at work, as their "common" name. The results of the survey may prompt a move towards the revision of the Civil Code.
| ILO EVENTS IN JAPAN |
Briefing on child labour standardsTokyo Branch Office organized a briefing meeting on child labour instruments on 7 August 2001 in Tokyo with Ms. Yoshie Noguchi, Senior Legal Officer, ILO International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), as lecturer. Ms. Noguchi gave a general overview of ILO's standard-related activities including its supervisory machinery, history of child labour Conventions, IPEC activities and the contents of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No.182). Participants, which included researchers and NGO members interested in child labour issue, were highly interested and raised a number of relevant questions including its relation with economic development and trade sanctions.
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2001
(Purpose of the news flash is to provide readers with rough idea of social and labour developments in Japan. It is not an official document of the ILO. The designations employed do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the ILO concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Reference to names of firms and commercial products and processes does not imply their endorsement by the ILO, and any failure to mention a particular firm, commercial product or process is not a sign of disapproval.)