Perspectives on social inequality through employment in Japan

Employment inequality in Japan was scarcely discussed until the 1980s, a period when opportunities for workers’ upward mobility were abundant. Since the 1990s—a turning point in Japan’s economic and educational landscape—the expansion of employment inequality and its underlying factors have been increasingly examined. This review essay explores how employment inequality has been understood in Japan, focusing on the social perceptions of justifying these disparities and the institutions that reinforce them. Research on the pre-1980s period reveals that, as education and employment opportunities expanded quantitatively, assumptions about Japan’s distinct meritocratic structure and perception were constructed. A structured selection process within educational institutions and companies helped sustain this framework. In contrast, since the 1990s, there has been a growing recognition that gender and employment categories are the primary drivers of employment inequality. While the intersection of these factors has deepened disparities, social perceptions that legitimize and rationalize the unequal treatment stemming from these differences have also gained traction. To analyze the social inequalities generated by employment, it is essential to adopt a broad perspective that avoids taking existing disadvantages for granted while critically examining how social perceptions of inequality are formed and institutionalized.