English version - Fit for Work Europe

4. MSDs and government
4.1
Costs of MSDs
to the wider
economy and
society
Having a significant proportion of the working age population either temporarily or permanently
unable to work because of chronic disease – even in a favourable economic climate –
can reduce the aggregate level of labour productivity in an economy and damage the
competitiveness and effectiveness of private and public sector employers. A significant burden
of ill-health or disability can also have a number of damaging social consequences leading to
marginalisation and social exclusion.
It is imperative for Japan to optimise the supply of people that are fit for work in order to take full
advantage of the country’s economic potential. Thus, it will be important to ensure that those
with illness or long-term conditions are not disproportionately excluded from the labour market
since such exclusion has a number of implications.
First, in order to reduce the social security burden on younger generations it is vital that Japan
maintains a healthy and productive workforce. Japan is the world’s third largest economy, built
up as a result of rapid economic growth in the post-war period, during which time the country
became technologically advanced. Economic growth has slowed significantly since the 1990s
and the country has experienced several periods of recession which have changed working
structures. The labour market gaps are exacerbated by the demographic changes in Japan and
the growing dependency rate of the elderly population (JILPT, 2012). To minimise the impact of
ill health, it is important to develop strategies to allow people with conditions such as MSDs to
participate in working life for the longest possible time.
Second, unemployment and job loss have serious financial and health consequences for
individuals. Studies have shown widespread deterioration in aspects of physical and mental
well-being among those who lose their jobs which can persist for many months (Armstrong,
2006; Brinkley, Clayton, Coats, Hutton, and Overell, 2008).
Third, it is essential that unemployment is not concentrated in the most vulnerable parts of the
workforce, especially among those with disabilities or with long-term health conditions. Finding
ways of improving job retention for these workers is vital, as we know that once they become
detached from the labour market, their chances of finding meaningful work again are severely
damaged. Latest available figures show that 58 per cent of people with disabilities of working
age in Japan are not in employment (MHLW, 2006).
The Japanese economy simply cannot afford for its development to be inhibited by a shortage
of skilled, motivated and healthy workers. MSDs already present the Japanese economy and
society with a burden of up to JPY 2 trillion a year (7.5 per cent of national medical expenditure)
in the direct health care costs alone (MHLW, 2009).
Fit For Work? Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Japanese Labour Market 29