Japan Press Weekly

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2015 October 21 - 27 [LABOR]

Abe seeks to exploit women and elderly for sake of ‘economic growth’

Apparently in an effort to deflect pubic criticism against the forcible enactment of the war legislation, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo set forth a plan to promote a “dynamic engagement of all citizens”. Behind the flowery words, PM Abe hides his intent to mobilize women and the elderly as cheap labor.

At a press conference held on October 7 following the reshuffling of his Cabinet, PM Abe said that he will “build a society in which all people—elderly or young, male or female, and those with intractable illnesses or disabilities—can take another step forward beyond where they now stand”. He also said that he will release his new “three arrows” with the aim of attaining the three targets of increasing GDP to 600 trillion yen; raising the birthrate to 1.8 children per woman; and eliminating cases in which people have to leave their jobs to care for their elderly family members.

Kato Katsunobu, who was appointed as the first Minister for Promoting Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens, is now working to form the National Council to Promote the Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens which is made up of representatives of economic circles such as the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The focus of their discussions will likely be the procurement and intensification of labor.

In line with the prime minister’s call, the Labor Ministry proposed to drastically boost labor productivity in all industries without taking necessary measures to prevent karoshi or death from overwork.

Regarding the issue of productivity, Labor Minister Shiozaki Yasuhisa proclaimed that higher labor productivity will be achieved through relaxation of labor laws, such as the introduction of the no-overtime pay system, which unions say will bring about even more deaths from overwork.

The government’s Industrial Competitiveness Council is also discussing ways to utilize women and older people. It also calls for further use of foreign workers through various ways, such as the use of foreign students as laborers.

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) criticizes this government move by saying that under the buzzwords of “dynamic engagement” and “ageless society”, the Abe government is trying to drive people regardless of their age or sex into low-paid and unstable employment.