Japan's low jobless rate masks deepening worker despair

  • 📰 ChannelNewsAsia
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 39 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 19%
  • Publisher: 66%

Singapore Headlines News

Singapore Latest News,Singapore Headlines

Japan's low unemployment rate on paper suggests an economy weathering the coronavirus reasonably well, but official figures belie worsening ...

TOKYO: Japan's low unemployment rate on paper suggests an economy weathering the coronavirus reasonably well, but official figures belie worsening prospects for the country's army of temporary workers, who make up about 40 per cent of the jobs market.

About 2.4 million furloughed workers are kept on payrolls backed by state subsidies, which the government is seeking to extend beyond its end-September expiration. In the jobs market, the pain has been felt most by those categorised as"non-regular workers," including those with low-paying, part-time jobs, who make up 38per cent of all employees in Japan.

One worker in her 20s, who was employed as temp staff at a call centre in Kanagawa prefecture, quit her job in June."My employer would not allow us non-regular workers to work from home," she told Reuters, on condition of anonymity."I was told that I could take time off but would not be paid, so I quit, thinking it'd be better living on unemployment insurance."

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 6. in SG

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Japan ramps up aid to Mauritius after oil spillPORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS (AFP) - Japan is sending a second team of experts to help clean up more than 1,000 tonnes of oil that leaked from a Japanese-owned bulk carrier into pristine waters off the coast of Mauritius.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Japan ramps up aid to Mauritius after oil spillJapan is sending a second team of experts to help clean up more than 1,000 tonnes of oil that leaked from a Japanese-owned bulk carrier into ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Japan should embrace role of maintaining world peace: Yomiuri ShimbunIn the editorial, the paper says that Japan should play a role in alleviating conflicts that involve military and economic power and returning to a cooperation policy based on international rules.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Japan PM Abe enters hospital for examination: MediaTOKYO (REUTERS) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe entered a Tokyo hospital on Monday (Aug 17) for an examination but a detailed reason for the visit was not immediately known, local media reported.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Japan PM Abe enters hospital for examination: MediaTOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe entered a Tokyo hospital on Monday (Aug 17) for an examination, Nippon TV and Kyodo News reported. A ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Japan economy shrinks historic 7.8% in second quarterJapan's economy shrank 7.8 per cent in the April-June quarter, the worst contraction in the nation's modern history, as the coronavirus deepens ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »