July 24 will be 'day of telework' as Japan seeks to ease traffic congestion ahead of 2020 Olympics
The government has designated this July 24 as "the day of telework" in a bid to encourage people to work from home and test out the impact on traffic congestion ahead of the 2020 Olympics, which will open on July 24 of that year. Officials ...
Japan's unemployment rate falls to 22-year low of 2.8% in February
Joblessness in Japan falls to 2.8 percent, the lowest in more than 22 years, as consumers remain reluctant to spend their hard-earned yen.
Entrepreneurs use their diseases as springboard for business success
Despite calls for diversity in the workplace and "work-style reforms" being debated in the government, Japan has yet to come up with a way to fully utilize the talent of all who wish to work, especially those with rare and incurable diseases. Entering and remaining ...
More men juggle work commitments with caring for elderly parents
While women have long been the main caregivers for elderly parents in Japan, the country's rapidly aging population, coupled with the prevalence of smaller families in recent generations, has resulted in more men taking on the responsibility. Among them are a growing number of men ...
Forcing workers to relocate slowly growing less common at Japanese firms
With the rise in female employees and the graying of society, more companies are allowing staff to reject relocations without risking promotions as Japan's work environment slowly grows more family-friendly. The efforts, which include paying extra allowances to those workers who do accept a relocation, ...
Expert panel on increasing marriages in Japan ditches 'marriage-hunting mentor' proposal
A group of experts advising the government on how to boost marriage numbers has said that companies should aid employees hoping to wed by holding events to help them meet potential partners, but it ditched a proposal to create a "marriage-hunting mentor" system in ...
The government moves to improve supervision of firms that accept workers from abroad amid widespread abuse.
Record number of foreign students find work after graduating Japanese universities in 2015
The Justice Ministry says 15,657 foreign students took jobs after graduating from universities and vocational schools last year.
Toyota ordered to pay damages to retiree, 63, over terms of rehiring
The Nagoya High Court has ordered Toyota Motor Corp. to pay about ¥1.2 million in damages to a former employee after he was offered undesirable terms when he sought to be rehired after retiring. The 63-year-old former office worker claimed Toyota had proposed a one-year ...
Japan to start background checks of nuclear workers in anti-terrorism effort
The nation’s nuclear watchdog decides to require background checks for workers at nuclear power plants and other facilities.
Nagoya firm among those tapping workers who need flex-time jobs
More and more small- and medium-size companies are allowing full-time employees to work shorter hours so they can spend more time with their families. The move is likely to help housewives, regarded as an untapped labor supply, to play a part in resolving Japan's labor ...
Japanese workers distrust their employers, survey shows
Lifetime employment sounds like a great thing, but not if you hate where you work. That seems to be the plight of Japanese "salarymen" and "office ladies." Only 22 percent of Japanese workers have "a great deal of trust" in their employers, which is way ...
