Chapter 4 Youth Labor
Section 1 Current status of youth workforce., etc.
The population of young people aged 15 to 29 in 2004 (annual average) was 23,410,000, of which 13,890,000 (59.3%) were in the workforce (total of employed and unemployed persons aged 15 or over).
By age group, there were 1.11 million in the 15 to 19 age group in the workforce, 5.33 million in the 20 to 24 age group, and 7.45 million in the 25 to 29 age group.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of underemployed youths who lack fulltime employment or are unemployed, excluding housewives and students, is estimated to be 2,170,000 in 2003, as reported in the Ministry-published analysis on labor economy for 2004.
The Cabinet Office conducted a survey on unemployed youths, and as part of the survey they reviewed results of the 2002 Employment Status Survey conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). As a result, it was found that as many as 430,000 young people at ages between 15 and 34 years, who are neither married nor students, are not making any effort to find a job despite the fact that they desire to get employed. It was also found that another 420,000 people in the same age group and same status have no intention of finding a fulltime job.
The definition of the status as a paid worker varies according to chosen criteria, which affects the statistical results of surveys, but according to the 2004 Labour Force Survey conducted by the MIC, a total of 640,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 34 years do not have a job, and at the same time do not have any housework or are not attending any school.
Section 2 Youth Employment
(Overview of Working Status)
The number of youth workers aged 15 to 29 in 2004 (annual average) was 12,800,000, which is 390,000 fewer than the previous year. The percentage of youth to all workers (63,290,000) was 20.2% (20.9% in the previous year).
Industries that have a relatively high proportion of young workers were "wholesale and retail trade," "manufacturing" and "services," altogether accounting for more than half of the total (51.1%).
Section 3 Employment of New Graduates
(Employment of Junior High Graduates)
Of the 1,298,718 junior high school graduates of March 2004 (664,015 males and 634,703 females), the newly employed (including those who both advanced to upper schools and started to work) numbered 9,553 (6,816 males and 2,737 females), down 808 (7.8%) from the previous year, 10,361. The employment rate was 0.7%, down by 0.1 point from the previous year (0.8%).
(Employment of Senior High Graduates)
Of the 1,235,012 high school graduates of March 2004 (622,385 males and 612,627 females), the newly employed numbered 208,903 (118,598 males and 90,305 females), down 3,960 (1.9%) from the previous year (212,863). The employment rate was 16.9%, increased by 0.3 points from the previous year (16.6%).
(Employment of Graduates from Universities, Junior Colleges and Colleges of Technology)
Of the 548,897 university graduates in March 2004 (323,025 males and 225,872 females), the newly employed numbered 306,414 (171,499 males and 134,915 females), increased 6,427 (2.1%) from the previous year (299,987).
The number of newly employed junior college graduates was 69,029 (5,474 males and 63,555 females), down 2,117 from the previous year (71,146). The number of newly employed college of technology graduates was 5,422 (4,314 males and 1,108 females), up 29 from the previous year (5,393).
(Youth Unemployment)
The number of unemployed youth aged 15 to 29 in 2004 (annual average) was 1.09 million. By age group, there were 130,000 unemployed persons in the 15 to 19 age group, 480,000 in the 20 to 24 age group, and 480,000 in the 25 to 29 age group.
The unemployment rate of youths was 11.7% in the 15 to 19 age group, 9.0% in the 20 to 24 age group, and 6.4% in the 25 to 29 age group. From the previous year, those rates are lower by 0.2 points for the 15 to 19 age group, by 0.8 points for the 20 to 24 age group and by 0.6 points for the 25 to 29 age group. Thus, all age groups showed a downward trend, although those 2004 rates are relatively higher when compared to the 1990 rates, in which the lowest levels in recent years were recorded. (Figure 6)
Figure 6 Unemployment Rate of Young People |
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Section 4 Job-Leaving Ratio
(Job Leaving of New Graduates)
It follows that a higher percentage of both junior high and senior high school graduates left their jobs in their first year, and among junior high graduates in particular, the job-leaving rate in the first year exceeded 40%. Within three years of starting employment, 70% of all junior high graduates, and nearly 50% of high school graduates, and more than 30% of university graduates left their jobs.
Section 5 Working Conditions
(Wages)
The average normal salary (wages) for June 2004 was 333,900 yen for males and 225,600 yen for females. As for young workers, it was 148,200 yen for males under 18, 167,800 yen for those aged 18 to 19, 200,300 yen for those aged 20 to 24, and 240,200 yen for those aged 25 to 29. As for female workers, it was 132,300 yen for those under 18, 154,400 yen for those aged 18 to 19, 185,500 yen for those aged 20 to 24, and 211,100 yen for those aged 25 to 29.
(Starting Salaries)
As for starting salaries of new graduates of March 2004 by academic level, it was 198,300 yen for male university graduates, 170,700 yen for college of technology and junior college graduates, 156,100 yen for senior high school graduates, and 145,400 yen for junior high graduates. As for female workers, it was 189,500 yen for university graduates, 164,200 yen for college of technology and junior college graduates, 147,200 yen for senior high school graduates, and 137,600 yen for junior high graduates.