Japan Press Weekly

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2015 April 29 - May 12 [LABOR]

Companies often ask job-hunting senior high students rude questions

In job interviews with high school students, companies frequently ask questions infringing upon students’ human rights. This has been revealed in a survey conducted by teachers’ unions.

The All Japan Teachers and Staffs Union (Zenkyo) and the National Federation of Private School Teachers and Staff Unions (Shikyoren), both affiliated with the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), released on May 8 the results of the survey on the nationwide employment situation of high school students who graduated in March. This survey is the 21st one carried out by these unions.

According to the findings, the number of companies not abiding by a recruitment agreement, including posing improper questions to job applicants, increased by 23 to 123 from a year earlier.

A female student in Akita Prefecture was asked during the interview whether she has a boyfriend and at around what age she wants to get married. A firm in Saga Prefecture changed its working conditions after it promised to employ students. A male student in Yamanashi Prefecture was told by a company offering him a permanent job to work part-time at the company until he graduates from the school. He had great difficulty in studying since he often had to work till late at night.

In addition, there were seven cases where officials of the Self-Defense Forces made direct contact with students in an attempt to persuade them into joining the forces.

The two unions are demanding that the government implement measures to encourage high school students to learn about labor legislation, tighten control over the so-called “black corporations”, and direct the SDF not to violate the rules regarding recruitment.


Past related articles:
> SDF desperately trying to recruit high school students [December 23, 2014]
> ‘Black part-time jobs’ exploit students [June 7, 2014]