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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 May 2025
With the long-term stagnation of the Japanese economy, issues of poverty, income inequality, and economic security have assumed more prominence in Japanese discourses of the socio-economic state of the nation. In 2006 a new phrase entered the lexicon: the “working poor”.
[1] The “Working Poor”: For the webpage of the original NHK documentary, click here. The documentary was accompanied by a book: NHK Special “Working Poor” Production Team (2007) W&Wuml; kingu Pua – Nihon wo mushibamu byÅ (Working Poor – The Sickness Undermining Japan), Tokyo: Popura-sha. See also Takashi Kadokura (2006) W&Wuml; kingu pua: ikura hataraite mo mukuwarenai jidai ga kuru (The Working Poor: An era is coming where you will not be rewarded however hard you work), Tokyo: Takarajimasha shinsho, pp. 18-19.
[2] One in four: Kadokura, Working Poor, p. 19; One in five: NHK, Working Poor, p. 11.
[3] Japan Times, Editorial Underwhelming Pay Rises, 16 March 2008.
[4] See Peter Matanle (2003) Japanese Capitalism and Modernity in a Global Era: Re-fabricating lifetime employment relations, Oxon: Routledge, p. 153.
[5] Kadokura, Working Poor, p. 106.
[6] NHK, Working Poor, p. 11.
[7] Matthew Allen (1994) Undermining the Japanese Miracle: Work and conflict in a coalmining community, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[8] Yoshio Sugimoto (1997) An Introduction to Japanese Society, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1-2.
[9] TYCWU: Shutoken Seinen Yunion. See their homepage.
[10] NPO hÅ jin jiritsu seikatsu sapÅ to sentÄ Moyai. Clik here for their webpage. According to representative Tsuyoshi Inaba, “‘Moyai’ is an old Japanese word originally used by sailors. It means to tie ships together with a rope to protect them in a storm. This organisation has a similar role for people.” See here.
[11] According to a survey by the Japanese government in 2003, the number of homeless people in Japan was 25,296. See a webpage of Ministry of Health and Labor.
[12] A 2007 Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare survey found that there were 5,400 net café refugees. “‘Net Café Refugee’ population put at 5,400”, The Japan Times, 29 August 2007, Accessed online.
[13] Saburoku kyÅ tei: “An employer cannot order you to work overtime, meaning more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week, unless the employer has an Article 36 Agreement (”saburoku kyÅ tei“) with a union or employee representing a majority of employees. Unless such a written agreement exists, you are free to refuse all overtime without penalty.” Louis Carlet, “The right side of the law”, The Japan Times, 14 December 2004, accessed online.
[14] Since this article was written, the hairstylists have won their claim for back pay. See “Major hair salon chain forced to pay 338 hairstylists 48 million yen in back pay”, Akahata 18 January 2008.
[15] “Public Assistance for the Poor (Seikatsu-Hogo) is another in-cash benefit available to households with children when their household income falls below the minimum standard of living. The calculation of the minimum standard of living depends on a number of factors including household size, ages of household members, and location of residence.” Aya K. Abe, “Effects of Child-related Benefits in Japan.”
[16] Kadokura, Working Poor, p. 192.
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