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Transforming the Japanese Labour Market: Deregulation and the Rise of Temporary Staffing

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  • Neil Coe
  • Jennifer Johns
  • Kevin Ward

Abstract

Coe N. M., Johns J. and Ward K. Transforming the Japanese labour market: deregulation and the rise of temporary staffing, Regional Studies. The Japanese employment system has undergone significant structural change since the early 1990s. Widespread deregulation and industrial restructuring have increased the number of non-regular workers in Japan, including temporary or 'dispatch' workers supplied by temporary staffing agencies, who numbered some 1.6 million and 2.8% of the total working population by 2007. This paper charts the evolution of the Japanese temporary staffing industry in three stages from 1947 to the present. These phases are delimited by two important regulatory changes with respect to temporary staffing: partial legalization in 1986, and full legalization in 1999. The paper argues that a distinct Japanese temporary staffing industry has been produced through a multi-institutional field involving the interaction of a range of actors. While government deregulation has been the key shaper of the industry's emergence, other actors, including labour unions, transnational agencies, and domestic agencies, have played important roles at various times. While the growth of the industry is best interpreted as a gradual evolution of the traditional employment system, the size of temporary staffing employment - and non-regular working more generally - has now reached the stage where it has become a significant political and regulatory issue. [image omitted] Coe N. M., Johns J. et Ward K. La transformation du marche du travail japonais: la dereglementation et l'essor de l'emploi interimaire, Regional Studies. Le marche du travail japonais a connu d'importants changements structurels depuis le debut des annees 1990. La dereglementation generalisee et la restructuration industrielle ont augmente le nombre de travailleurs irreguliers au Japon, y compris les interimaires fournis par les missions d'interim, dont quelque 1,6 millions, representant 2,8% de la population active globale en 2007. Cet article cherche a tracer l'evolution des missions d'interim au Japon a trois etapes, de 1947 jusqu'au present. Ces etapes sont delimitees en fonction de deux importants changements reglementaires quant a l'interim: la legalisation partielle en 1986, et la legalisation pleine en 1999. On affirme qu'une mission d'interim distincte a ete etablie au Japon a partir d'un domaine a institutions multiples, impliquant la participation d'une gamme d'acteurs. Alors que la dereglemetation s'avere la force motrice cle de l'essor de l'interim, d'autres acteurs, y compris les syndicats ouvriers, les agences exterieures et interieures, ont joue d'importants roles a diverses reprises. Tandis que l'on peut interpreter l'essor de l'interim comme l'evolution reguliere d'un marche du travail classique, l'importance de l'effectif interimaire - et de l'emploi irregulier en general - est arrive au point ou il est devenu une importante question de politique et de reglementation. Interim Japon Travailleurs irreguliers Dereglementation Changement institutionnel Coe N. M., Johns J. und Ward K. Der Wandel des japanischen Arbeitsmarkts: Deregulierung und die Zunahme von Zeitarbeit, Regional Studies. Seit den fruhen neunziger Jahren hat der japanische Arbeitsmarkt signifikante strukturelle Anderungen erfahren. Durch eine umfassende Deregulierung und industrielle Umstrukturierung hat sich die Anzahl der unregelmassig beschaftigten Arbeitnehmer in Japan erhoht; hierzu gehoren auch die Zeit- bzw. Vertragsarbeitskrafte von Arbeitsvermittlungen, deren Anzahl sich im Jahr 2007 auf uber 1,6 Millionen bzw. 2,8% der gesamten erwerbstatigen Bevolkerung belief. In diesem Beitrag wird die Entwicklung der japanischen Zeitarbeitsbranche in drei Phasen von 1947 bis heute beschrieben. Diese Phasen werden durch zwei wichtige Gesetzesanderungen hinsichtlich der Zeitarbeit definiert: einer teilweisen Legalisierung im Jahr 1986 und einer vollstandigen Legalisierung im Jahr 1999. In diesem Beitrag wird argumentiert, dass auf einem multiinstitutionellen Feld mit den Wechselwirkungen eines breiten Spektrums von Akteuren eine charakteristische japanische Zeitarbeitsbranche entstanden ist. Der wichtigste Faktor fur das Entstehen dieser Branche war zwar die staatliche Deregulierung, doch auch andere Akteure, wie zum Beispiel Gewerkschaften, transnationale Agenturen und einheimische Agenturen, haben zu verschiedenen Zeiten wichtige Rollen gespielt. Das Wachstum der Branche lasst sich am besten als allmahliche Evolution des traditionellen Arbeitsmarkts interpretieren, doch die Zeitarbeit - und generell die unregelmassigen Arbeitsverhaltnisse - haben inzwischen einen Umfang erreicht, der sie zu einem wichtigen politischen und behordlichen Thema macht. Zeitarbeit Japan Unregelmassig beschaftigte Arbeitnehmer Deregulierung Institutionelle Veranderung Coe N. M., Johns J. y Ward K. Transformacion del mercado laboral japones: desregulacion y aumento del personal temporal, Regional Studies. El sistema laboral japones ha sufrido un cambio estructural significativo desde principios de los noventa. La extensa desregulacion y reestructuracion industrial han aumentado el numero de trabajadores no regulares en Japon, incluyendo los trabajadores temporales o 'migratorios' suministrados por las agencias de personal temporal, que representaban unos 1,6 millones de trabajadores y un 2,8% del total de la poblacion laboral en 2007. En este articulo presentamos la evolucion de la industria japonesa de personal temporal en tres etapas desde 1947 hasta ahora. Estas fases estan delimitadas por dos importantes cambios regulatorios con respecto a los trabajadores temporales: la legalizacion parcial en 1986, y la legalizacion completa en 1999. En este articulo sostenemos que en Japon se ha creado una industria diferente de trabajadores temporales mediante un campo multi-institucional en el que interaccionan muchos actores diferentes. Aunque el factor mas importante de la aparicion de esta industria ha sido la desregulacion gubernamental, tambien otros actores, incluyendo los sindicatos, las agencias transnacionales y las agencias nacionales, han desempenado importantes papeles en momentos diferentes. Si bien el crecimiento de la industria se interpreta mejor como una evolucion gradual del sistema laboral tradicional, el numero de los trabajadores temporales, y en general de los trabajadores no regulares, ahora ha llegado a la fase en que se ha convertido en uno de los temas mas importantes en el ambito politico y regulatorio. Personal temporal Japon Trabajadores no regulares Desregulacion Cambio institucional

Suggested Citation

  • Neil Coe & Jennifer Johns & Kevin Ward, 2011. "Transforming the Japanese Labour Market: Deregulation and the Rise of Temporary Staffing," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(8), pages 1091-1106.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:45:y:2011:i:8:p:1091-1106
    DOI: 10.1080/00343401003713423
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rebick, Marcus, 2005. "The Japanese Employment System: Adapting to a New Economic Environment," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199247240.
    2. Imai, Jun, 2004. "The rise of temporary employment in Japan: Legalisation and expansion of a non-regular employment form," Working Papers on East Asian Studies 62/2004, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute of East Asian Studies IN-EAST.
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    Cited by:

    1. Deborah Giustini, 2021. "The Impact Of Labour Market Trends On The Employment Of R&D Personnel: A Literature Review," HSE Working papers WP BRP 117/STI/2021, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    2. Sebastien Lechevalier & Cyrille Dossougoin & Christophe Hurlin & Satoko Takaoka, 2014. "How did the Japanese Employment System Change?Investigating the Heterogeneity of Downsizing Practices across Firms," KIER Working Papers 883, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
    3. Cooke, Fang Lee. & Brown, Ronald., 2015. "The regulation of non-standard forms of employment in China, Japan and the Republic of Korea," ILO Working Papers 994888163402676, International Labour Organization.

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