Changes in Employment Policies

    With the first oil crisis, the Japanese economy shifted to a trend of stable growth. Against this backdrop, policies to ensure employment stability shifted from traditional after-the-fact policies, which focused on encouraging re-employment and stabilizing workers' standard of living following separation, to preemptive policies, with objectives such as preventing unemployment and expanding opportunities for employment. The range of measures has gradually expanded to include employment maintenance, mismatch matching, and job creation measures (Fig. 62).

Responses to an Increasingly Diverse Labour Market

    Labour market policies include the establishment of rules for the labour market and the enhancement of functions for adjusting labour supply and demand. These measures were instituted to deal with structural changes, such as women's progress in the workplace, the aging of society, and changes in the economic structure.

Shifting from Job Training to Human Resources Development

    Development of occupational skills has become increasingly important due to increasing technological advances, the aging of society, and other factors. As a result, the Human Resources Development Promotion Law was formulated to take place of the Vocational Training Law. In particular, the importance of vocational abilities development for white collar workers has come to be recognized in recent years.

Payment of Unemployment Insurance Benefits as a Safety Net

    Since the collapse of the bubble economy, the number of people receiving unemployment insurance benefits has increased significantly. This has the macroeconomic effect of minimizing a drop in the economic climate due to reduced consumption, and is also effective in supporting expenditures for unemployed households (Fig. 63).

Effects of Public Job Training

    An analysis of a Tokyo Metropolitan Government's study on the effects of public job training shows that if satisfaction with training is high, job retention and the desire to remain employed will improve. Income is also affected (Fig. 64).

Use of Public Employment Security Office

    With the increasingly severe employment situation, the Employment Security Office ("Hello Work") has seen an increase in the number of job seekers, and the importance of its role is being recognized. Utilization of "Hello Work" is high in outlying regions and among elderly workers, as well as among blue collar workers. In recent years, persons with employment background in specialist, technical, and managerial positions have also increased their use of "Hello Work" (Fig. 65).

Employment Strategies in Europe and the US

    Employment measures in the US include enhancing public employment services, and working in cooperation with private job referral services. Internet outreach is also increasing. In England, New Deal measures have been introduced to curb reliance on unemployment payments and to improve the skill levels of workers. In Germany, leaders are rethinking corporate protection measures such as the relaxation of layoff regulations instituted by the previous administration. Germany is also pursuing job creation and work sharing initiatives. In France, the government provides employment directly to younger people, and is pursuing work sharing initiatives. Holland has had success with a series of measures known as the Holland Model, which is characterized by wage adjustment measures and promoting part-time employment.

International Initiatives to Solve Employment Problems

    Employment problems are issues common to all developed countries. They are gaining more attention at international summits. In addition, employment summits have been held, while international organizations such as the OECD and ILO have undertaken a variety of international initiatives. Against this backdrop, improving the likelihood of employment and creating new jobs are major pillars that are of common interest to all countries.