Labor Issues of Student Workers in Japan

: Changes in Their Working Conditions and the Analytical Framework

Abstract

The working conditions of high school and college students at their part-time jobs have been an issue in Japan since 2013. Factors contributing to this problem include decreasing parental incomes, increasing college tuition, a lack of student scholarships, and worsening labor management practices. Although many studies have featured detailed accounts of the actual working conditions of these workers, the framework used to evaluate this issue requires further consideration.

This presentation outlines problems with associated the working conditions of student workers in Japan and then examines several issues that need to be considered to analyze and comprehend this issue sufficiently. First, the presentation examines the difference between a social policy approach and an industrial relations approach, how the issue is perceived, the possible solutions to the problem, and where further studies are needed based on which approach one adopts. Second, an analysis of the actual labor process and employment relations is offered, in addition to an investigation into how they have been changing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Third, the changes that occurred after the pandemic are considered.