English version - Fit for Work Europe

Work and MSDs in Japan
16
Figure 3.1 illustrates the changes in unemployment and long-term unemployment rates.
Figure 3.1. Unemployment rates in Japan
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
2.3 2.2
2.1
2.4
0.4 0.4 0.3 0.4
3.0
3.1 3.4 3.5 3.7
0.5 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8
4.7 4.9 4.8
1.1
1.2 1.2
5.4 5.3
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1.6
1.7 1.7
4.7 4.4 4.1
Long-term unemployment Unemployment rate
3.9 4.0
1.4 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.4
5.1 5.1
Fit For Work? Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Japanese Labour Market
1.8
Source: JILPT (2012)
Increasing long-term unemployment rates in Japan may be associated, among other reasons,
with the difficulty for certain population groups to access equal opportunities in the labour
market. The recession has affected many graduates competing for a smaller number of jobs,
but equally those who are not able to perform to their full capacity due to ill health.
While bad health may lead to unemployment, unemployment itself can negatively impact on
health. Unemployment may exacerbate existing health conditions and lead to comorbidities,
such as depression, further complicating the patients’ chances of competing in the labour
market and placing an even higher burden on the Japanese health care system.
Public expenditure on health in Japan has been growing year on year; however, it seems that it
yet fails to match the challenges of ageing population (Nakamura, 2008). Although the overall
population has been on the decline since 2005, the proportion of those aged 65 and over is
higher that ever. In the next 50 years the proportion of senior citizens in Japan is predicted to
grow, while there will be fewer people of working age to support the elderly.