Pre-reading questions:
- Name 3 most popular jobs in your country.
- What is the ideal age for a person to work?
- What is the ideal age for retirement?
Japan’s population is decreasing and aging. It causes labor problems. Hotels, restaurants and elderly care industries need more workers. These industries have low output per worker. They cannot give higher pay without productivity. Service businesses are also having problems. They have many part-time and contractual employees. The labor market is not doing good.
Vocabulary:
aging – [noun] the process of growing and maturing
industries – [noun] any general business activity
output – [noun] an amount produced at the time
productivity – [noun] the rate at which goods are produced or work is complete
contractual – [adjective] relating to a contract
True or False:
- Japan’s population is increasing.
- Japan’s population is not causing labor problems.
- Hotels, restaurants and elderly care industries are not in need of workers.
- Service businesses are not having problems.
- The labor market is doing good.