Comments on: Electronics makers lead the way in killing off lifetime employment system http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/electronics-makers-lead-the-way-in-killing-off-lifetime-employment-system/ How to make, save and spend money in Japan. Sat, 18 May 2013 10:38:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Adamu http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/electronics-makers-lead-the-way-in-killing-off-lifetime-employment-system/comment-page-1/#comment-113050 Adamu Tue, 07 Aug 2012 11:01:34 +0000 http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/?p=3807#comment-113050 As someone who works in a Japanese corporation, I can say at least in my company’s case it still operates under a false assumption of lifetime employment. So when earnings tank as they have, instead of straight-up firing people, they transfer them to positions that put them in limbo, or alternatively pressure them to retire early. And then there are teams of people who are considered “contract” employees and thus are not eligible for the juicier benefits like 401k or access to company dorms, oh and they can be let go once their 12-month contracts are up. My understanding is that Japanese firms are not allowed to fire without cause, and whatever cause they give can’t be for purely economic reasons unless the company is literally going bankrupt.

I am not sure what my point is, but I just want to say it’s an odd spectacle to see a company trying to bend the rules around economic reality. Sharp might be coming to the end of that road sooner rather than later.

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