Labor Caste System has Started in Japan

*Hiragana Times CIA(Cynically Insulting Agency)

Recently, a tanka (a short Japanese poem) written by famous Japanese poet ISHIKAWA Takuboku (1886~1912), has become increasingly quoted: "Working, working hard, but my living, still hasn't improved, I gaze my hands." This poem fits the situation of the growing number of "working poor" in Japan. Hiragana Times CIA interviewed Dr. THREADBEAR, who is an expert on Japan's working poor problem.

CIA: Please tell us what is inside your shocking book titled "Labor Caste system has Started in Japan," which is controversial even now before it has gone on sale?

Dr.: Japan during the Edo period used to have a caste system which ranked people into the classes of warriors, farmers, artisans and tradesmen. Surprisingly, society's present structure is quite similar to this. At the top are civil servants and regular employees of leading companies. The next rank is comprised of executives of small and medium-sized companies and their regular employees, followed by contracted employees and dispatched staff agency employees. At the bottom are part-time workers, permanent part-timers and daily laborers. Those who are ranked at the top are similar to the warriors of old, who can receive benefits from the present establishment, but those who are below the second rank are poor as were the farmers of old times, and they face challenging living conditions even though they work very hard.

CIA: What will happen under the caste system you call for?

Dr.: Until only a decade ago, Japanese companies had lifetime employment and seniority systems. Laborers were treated almost as family members and employees' received salary raises almost every year. However, claiming to want to keep up with globalization, those CEOs who have created a caste system to exploit laborers' wages are regarded as "excellent" and those who manage with a paternalistic manner are regarded as "incapable." Under these circumstances people in the working poor class cannot save any money, have little time to improve themselves, nor can they provide their children with opportunities to receive a good education. As long as this system remains, it will be nearly impossible for these families to escape from the working poor caste.

CIA: But, the Japanese government has announced that the Japanese economy is doing well and Japanese companies are still having difficulties employing new graduates.

Dr.: That problem is only faced by large companies and some exceptionally small and medium-sized companies. The reason they are making enormous profits is due to the fact that they have turned more than half of their employees into contractors and dispatch staff to keep wages down. Most restaurants have only one regular employee. The reason that companies hire new graduates is that companies can pay them less and will not have to raise their salaries under the merit system. This will create a strong economy that only the upper class will be able to enjoy.

CIA: Where does the essence of this problem lay?

Dr.: Charley CHAPLIN's 1936 movie "Modern Times" showed humans being used by machines, but it has now become reality. Principally, companies should be created to make people's lives richer, but nowadays, people are effectively treated as robots in order to make companies profitable. The essence of this problem is in the "reluctant acceptance" aspect of human nature that can easily be coerced into submission. Interestingly, this is just like the situation of the people living in the country ruled over by the "Great Leader."

Comment from CIA/
The working poor caste have to work silently like machines. Here is another of Takuboku's tanka poems: "Sorrow of lifeless sand, it drops in rustling, between my fingers, when I hold it."
Dear working foreigners in Japan: this is not something you can be indifferent to. Be aware that you are not even included in any castes.

*Hiragana Times CIA(Cynically Insulting Agency)

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