Abstract
The existence of Japanese Employment Practices （JEPs） was recognized during 1945―54. The famous 1951 chart “Model of Labor Markets,” compiled by Shojiro Ujihara, depicted the labor market as segmented in three layers. The top layer was the “Large Factory Labor Market,” where JEPs （stable employment practices） existed for male regular employees, while the lowest layer was “Latent Rural and Urban Surplus―Population,” where the work force was subject to employment adjustment. Japan’s labor markets changed greatly in the periods of high and stable economic growth, the 36 years from 1955 to 1990. In those periods, the work force serving the function of employment adjustment changed from the workers in the “Latent Rural and Urban Surplus―Population” to non―regular employees employed in companies ; however, male regular employees in large companies continued to benefit from stable JEPs. Since the 1960s, maintenance of JEPs has relied upon non―regular employees, most of whom come from （stable） male breadwinner families. Since the 1960s, JEPs and male breadwinner families have been closely linked and mutually supportive. I call the resulting social system “Japan’s 1960’s System.” Since the 1990s, however, JEPs and “Japan’s 1960’s System” have steadily lost sustainability. Therefore, the final type of JEPs are those under “Japan’s 1960’s System.”
