September 20, 2011
The number of workers living on less than 2 million yen in annual income exceeded 10 million in 2010 for 5 straight years, a National Tax Agency survey revealed.
According to the survey, out of 45.52 million workers, 10.45 million or 22.9 % earned less than 2 million yen in 2010. Out of all female workers, 42.7 % received less than 2 million yen in the same year.
The number of workers living on less than 2 million yen exceeded 10 million for the first time in 2006. Akahata on September 20 reported that this was caused by the “structural reform” policy promoted by the coalition government of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties under Prime Minister Koizumi Jun’ichiro. The government lifted a ban on the use of temporary workers in the manufacturing sector, and accordingly the numbers of low-paid temporary workers rocketed up. Then, the growing number of so-called “working poor” low-paid workers, who cannot get out of poverty no matter how hard they work, came to be recognized as a major social issue.
Following the bankruptcy of Rehman Brothers in the fall of 2008, large corporations stepped up their efforts to carry out restructuring measures and reduce labor costs, and in 2009 the number of workers with an annual income below 2 million yen reached nearby 11 million.
The trend toward low pay jobs has continued even after the government of the Democratic Party of Japan took office in the fall of 2009.
According to the survey, out of 45.52 million workers, 10.45 million or 22.9 % earned less than 2 million yen in 2010. Out of all female workers, 42.7 % received less than 2 million yen in the same year.
The number of workers living on less than 2 million yen exceeded 10 million for the first time in 2006. Akahata on September 20 reported that this was caused by the “structural reform” policy promoted by the coalition government of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties under Prime Minister Koizumi Jun’ichiro. The government lifted a ban on the use of temporary workers in the manufacturing sector, and accordingly the numbers of low-paid temporary workers rocketed up. Then, the growing number of so-called “working poor” low-paid workers, who cannot get out of poverty no matter how hard they work, came to be recognized as a major social issue.
Following the bankruptcy of Rehman Brothers in the fall of 2008, large corporations stepped up their efforts to carry out restructuring measures and reduce labor costs, and in 2009 the number of workers with an annual income below 2 million yen reached nearby 11 million.
The trend toward low pay jobs has continued even after the government of the Democratic Party of Japan took office in the fall of 2009.
