Overview

In developed countries, non-regular employment in the labor market is increasing and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Gender inequality in employment is also often an issue. Japan is no exception. In recent years, the dual structure of the employment market has become problematic. A unique systemic rigidity has created an employment environment that is so different between regular and non-regular employment, and between large and small enterprises, that it is difficult for employees to move up the hierarchy. This book has two main themes: first, statistically revealing the dual structure of employment that has been created by the Japanese-style employment system; and second, tracing the historical process to the formation of Japan's unique employment practices under the influence of governmental bureaucracy and military culture. This process is compared with the history of employment systems in the US and Europe. Through this book, readers will gain a deeper understanding of the issues facing Japan by learning how the system of Japanese society, including employment, education, social security and welfare, and gender inequality, was established historically.

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9781920850432

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Reviews

"""A must-read for anyone interested to understand Japan's modern history, Japanese society today, and the powerful connections of past and present."" -- Andrew Gordon, Lee and Juliet Folger Fund Professor of History, Harvard University"

'Eiji Oguma has produced a superb new historical interpretation of Japan's often vaunted and often criticized system of labor and employment. With timely global comparisons and fine insight, he both synthesizes the work of generations of scholars, and reframes this body of scholarship with important new interpretative angles. He makes a convincing and richly detailed case for the key role of state bureaucratic systems as the model upon which both capital and labor over time shaped private sector employment practices. He also makes a persuasive case for the lack of significant change in ""Japanese-style employment"" since the 1990s, with persistent gender norms as the key explanatory factor. A must-read for anyone interested to understand Japan's modern history, Japanese society today, and the powerful connections of past and present.' ----- Andrew Gordon, Lee and Juliet Folger Fund Professor of History, Harvard University. 'Eiji Oguma is one of Japan's most creative and influential sociologists. This book is another demonstration of his talents. Oguma draws on a wide range of sources to explore the origins and persistence of the Japanese employment system. He maintains that Japanese workplace practices cannot be understood without considering their history, not can they be isolated from broader collective norms and tacit rules that infuse other spheres of Japanese society. The book goes beyond the stereotype of permanently employed workers, predominantly male, to the majority of employees in smaller and less generous firms, where women are overrepresented. Japan specialists will need to reckon with Oguma's arguments, while those less familiar with these topics will find The System of Japanese Society the best introduction currently available in English.' ----- Sanford Jacoby, Distinguished Research Professor, UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Author Information

Eiji Oguma is a Japanese sociologist and professor in the Faculty of Policy Management at Keio University, specializing in historical sociology and correlated social sciences.

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