00★Keiichiro Hamaguchi, “What is a Job-Based Employment Society? – The Contradictions and Turning Point of the Regular Employment System”
📘 Key Points
■ The Uniqueness of Japan’s “Regular Employment” System
The central theme of this book is the observation that Japan’s employment system is extremely unique from a global perspective.
Regular employees in Japan have the following characteristics:
- Job duties are not clearly defined (membership type)
- Companies have considerable discretion regarding job reassignment, transfers, and long working hours
- They are expected to demonstrate “loyalty to the company” based on the premise of long-term employment
In contrast, in Europe and the United States,
- Job-based employment, where job duties are clearly defined
- While the job content does not change, employment is also tied to the job content
This system is common.
■ Why Couldn’t Japan Become a “Job-Based” System?
During the period of high economic growth, the “membership type,” where employees were trained within companies, was efficient, leading to the development of:
- Mass hiring of new graduates
- Seniority-based wage system
- In-house training
However, in today’s mature economy and changing industrial structure, this system creates rigidity and hinders labor market fluidity.
■ The Contradictions of the Regular Employment System
Hamaguchi cites the following as contradictions in modern Japanese society:
- The disparity between regular and non-regular employees
- A structure where there are surplus workers but no jobs
- The problem of work-style reforms progressing without addressing the fundamental issues of the system
In particular, he points out that the “unrestricted nature” of regular employment (anywhere, anytime, anything) is a cause of long working hours and hindering women’s careers.
■ The “Job-Based” Debate as a Turning Point
In recent years, the government and companies have begun to advocate for “job-based employment,” but Hamaguchi criticizes this as “the words taking on a life of their own.”
The true meaning of a job-based employment system is:
- Clarification of job duties
- Transparency of employment contracts
- Increased fluidity in the labor market
However, in Japan, only the image of “performance-based pay” and “highly paid professional jobs” is emphasized.
The author argues that a gradual reform of the system is necessary, based on an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the Japanese employment system.
💬 Impressions
■ Sharp, calm perspective on the “job-based” boom
While Japanese companies claim to be introducing a “job-based” system,
Hamaguchi very accurately criticizes the current situation where they are not clarifying job duties,
and are instead trying to create something that “vaguely resembles a job-based system.”
Reading this, it becomes clear that
Japan’s employment problems lie not on the surface of the system, but at its “roots.”
■ The “unlimited nature” of regular employees is connected to many problems in Japanese society
Long working hours, career stagnation for women, difficulty in changing jobs, disparity with non-regular employees…
The perspective that all of these issues stem from the “membership-type permanent employee” system is, upon reflection, very compelling.
This book also provides a clear explanation of why “work style reforms” are not working.
■ It’s not as simple as “just switch to a job-type system.”
The author doesn’t glorify the job-type system, but carefully explains the historical background and merits of the Japanese employment system.
Therefore, the message conveyed is that we need to consider realistic reforms suited to Japanese society, rather than a simple dichotomy of “job-type vs. membership-type.”
■ Questions that remain after reading
- Can Japanese companies truly clarify job roles?
- To what extent can the “unlimited nature” of permanent employees be reduced?
- How can the disparity between permanent and non-regular employees be rectified?
These questions naturally arise, making this a book that provides an opportunity to think about the future of work.
