Japanese workforce projected to be 20% smaller by 2040

Jan 16, 2019 | News On Japan

Jan 16, 2019 (Japan Times) - The workforce in 2040 is projected to be 20 percent smaller than in 2017 due to overall population decline if the economy sees no growth and women and the elderly continue to have difficulty landing jobs, according to government study released Tuesday.

A study group of the labor ministry, releasing the first official projection for the size of Japanâ€™s workforce in 2040, called for additional policies to boost employment and promotion of artificial intelligence as measures to sustain productivity.

The study did not take into consideration the expansion of the foreign workforce in 14 fields, including construction and nursing care, from April this year.

The panel on employment policies set up by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry estimated that the number of workers in Japan will stand at 60.82 million in 2025 and 52.45 million in 2040, down from 65.3 million in 2017.

The number of male workers in 2040 will fall by 7.11 million from 2017, while that of females will decrease by 5.75 million.

By industry, the wholesale and retail sector will be hit the hardest, with the workforce expected to drop by 2.87 million between 2017 and 2040, followed by mining and construction with a 2.21 million fall, and manufacturing, down by 2.06 million.

Typhoon No. 18 to Strike Okinawa as Flights Face Disruption

Strong Typhoon No. 18 is set to hit Okinawa and the Amami Islands at around midnight with storm-force winds, disrupting flights during the summer vacation season as other parts of Japan faced torrential rain, flooding, dangerous heat and sudden thunderstorms. The typhoon was located about 160 kilometers east-southeast of Okinoerabu Island at 4 p.m. and moving west-northwest at 20 kilometers per hour.

Fukushima Decontamination Soil to Be Reused at Government Offices

The Japanese government plans to reuse low-radioactivity soil generated by decontamination work after the Fukushima nuclear accident at government office complexes in Saitama and Sendai, marking the first such reuse outside Tokyo.

Osaka Couple Donate 400 Million Yen for Giant Myaku-Myaku Statue at Expo Site

An 85-year-old couple have donated a combined 400 million yen to Osaka City with a request that the money be used to create a giant Myaku-Myaku statue about 20 meters tall at the former site of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, envisioning a landmark that could become a lasting symbol of the event and of renewed prosperity for Kansai and Japan.

Lawson to Cut Onigiri Prices by 10 Yen

Lawson plans to cut prices on its main line of onigiri rice balls by 10 yen from September 29 as falling rice prices begin to feed through to retail costs.

Taiji Boosts Security Against Anti-Whaling Activists

Police have established a temporary police post in the whaling town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, ahead of the September 1 opening of the annual drive hunt for whales and dolphins.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Young Driver Dies After Possible Bear Collision

A 23-year-old man died after his car overturned and was badly damaged in Nemuro, Hokkaido, early on August 24, with police investigating whether the vehicle may have collided with a brown bear or another wild animal after black fur was found attached to the wreckage.

High School Student Dies in Accident at Niigata Festival

An 18-year-old high school student died after being trapped between a large festival lantern and a shopping arcade pillar during a traditional lantern-pushing event in Agano, Niigata Prefecture, on the evening of August 24, raising renewed questions about safety measures at festivals involving large crowds and heavy structures.

Pleasure Boat Runs Aground Near Haneda Airport

Nine people were injured, including two seriously, after a pleasure boat carrying 10 people ran aground near the mouth of the Tama River close to Haneda Airport on the evening of August 24.

Mystery Surrounds 39 Kg of Dumped Bread

Authorities in Tottori Prefecture are stepping up patrols after large quantities of bread were repeatedly dumped near Daisen National Park and more loaves were found on a beach about an hour's drive away, raising concerns that discarded food could attract wild animals.

Four Teens Arrested After Stolen Ketchup Thrown at Woman in Tokyo

Four teenage boys have been arrested in Tokyo on suspicion of stealing ketchup and other goods from a supermarket before splashing the ketchup on the face and body of a woman in her 70s, with one suspect telling police he had targeted around 10 people in similar attacks.

High-Priced Mountain Left Unused for 27 Years

Aichi Prefecture is seeking private-sector ideas for a vast mountain property in Nishio that has remained unused for 27 years after the prefecture spent 5.5 billion yen to buy the land for a project linked to the construction of Chubu Centrair International Airport.

Taiwanese Woman Accused of Pouring Oil on National Treasure

A 39-year-old woman from Taiwan has been arrested on suspicion of pouring an oil-like liquid on the national treasure Buddha Footprint Stone at Yakushiji Temple in Nara in April, police said.

Death Row Inmate Executed for Deadly Pachinko Parlor Fire

Japan executed 58-year-old death row inmate Sunao Takami on August 21 for setting fire to a pachinko parlor in Osaka in 2009, killing five people and injuring 10 others, in the first execution carried out under the Takaichi administration.

< 2 3 4 5 >