The great east Japan earthquake and a future vision for labor law in Japan

This paper discusses a future vision for the labor law system in Japan, while taking into account the situation after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Upon the occurrence of the earthquake, the government took emergency measures which may have been inadequate, but which have been effective to some degree in preventing the labor market from rapidly plunging into turmoil and in maintaining employment to the greatest possible extent. However, these measures were based on the conventional type of employee insurance system, and it would not be advisable to use the same approach in the future. Japan had been experiencing an increase in the number of non-standard workers even before the earthquake, as well as a gradual decrease in the total number of employed persons, and it has also been under pressure to achieve an appropriate work-life balance for its workers. In view of these circumstances and in order to establish a labor law system in anticipation of large-scale natural disasters, increasing opportunities to work to the greatest extent possible is a critical task. To achieve this, the government should firstly provide non-standard workers with opportunities to develop their careers and undergo vocational training, and offer them opportunities to work other than as company employees, such as at NPOs or workers’ cooperatives. Secondly, the government should strengthen the secondary labor market as a foothold to stable employment, and should consider improving the support system for job seekers and establishing a labor contract system.