ABSTRACT
STEVEN K. VOGEL
Japan’s Labor Regime in Transition: Rethinking Work for a Shrinking Nation
Japan is at the forefront of a tectonic demographic shift common among advanced industrial countries, as its population growth has declined and now reversed. The government and industry are now less concerned about how to shed excess workers and more concerned about how to increase the workforce and to recruit and retain workers. This opens up the potential for “win-win” solutions that promote both economic growth and worker welfare. This article explains how demographic trends, political dynamics, and corporate strategies are combining to reshape Japan’s labor market regime and concludes with an assessment of the prospects for positive change..
Volume 44, Number 2 (Summer 2018)
© 2018 Society for Japanese Studies