Pre-reading questions:
- What are the least popular jobs in your country?
- What is your dream job?
- What kind of jobs have you tried so far?
Japan’s population is diminishing and aging. It’s affecting the labor-intensive sectors. Hotels, restaurants and elderly care industries are coming up short in productive workers. The government cannot offer higher salary without productivity.
Service businesses have a lot of part-time and contractual employees, which weakens the bargaining power of employees. The labor market is flawed and irregular in that there is a shortage of workers in jobs with the least productivity. With this kind of situation, it is not feasible to raise wages without studying, understanding and making necessary changes in the labor market.
Vocabulary:
diminish – [verb] to make less or become gradually less
flawed – [adjective] having a small fault or weakness
irregular – [adjective] not normal or usual
productivity – [noun] the rate at which goods are produced or work is completed
feasible – [feasible] capable of being done or carried out
Comprehension Questions:
- What is the article about?
- What is happening to Japan’s population?
- Which industries are effected by labor shortages?
- What kind of employees do service businesses have?
- How is the Japanese labor market described in the article?
Express Your Opinion:
- The labor market is flawed and irregular.
- The surplus of part-time and contractual workers weakens the bargaining power of employees.
- How can Japan address the issue surrounding labor shortages?