Japan Inc says shrinking domestic market, worker shortage are biggest headaches

@Reckless, Really? I wonder what sort of company you work for? Doesn't sound like a proper company to me from you write.

Perhaps pay more? Wages are ridiculously tiny compared to other 1st world countries.

I'd apply for job in Japan but its so hard for foreigners including Westerners to get a job here.

Reckless is 100% on the money, I have worked in 3 different countries and Japan is by far one of the most inefficient and ineffective workplaces i have ever worked in. At one of the schools i currently work at a teacher comes in for one class, then spends the rest of the day half assing around occasionally sleeps on his desk and always stays after work hours even though he does nothing. Older staff refuse to use technology, the local board of education spent money on tablets that are supposed to be used by staff and students, but spend their time locked in a cabinet in the staff room. There are endless meetings where people simply read out information that people already have in front of them, and there is of course the complete and utter fanatical dedication to hierarchy.

I have had first hand experience dealing with an outdated and archaic management system that like reckless mentions, i questioned a change to my schedule that was conveyed to me by the board of education, i was told i didn't have to agree to the new teaching rounds to which i was assigned, when i did refuse i was told they would not renew my contract, if you show any questioning of your superiors or god forbid criticism you are immediately shafted. And that's only the education system, look at JA bank as another example, outdated technology, useless customer service and pathetic operating hours.

Cry me a river. Corporate Japan is pulling in the highest profits in history, yet stubbornly refusing to raise workers' wages in line with their earnings growth.

Pay them more, and watch your "labor shortage" magically disappear. Better paid people will spend more, and the economy will grow as a result. The ball has long been is in your court, you greedy so-and-so's.

Now Japanese consumers are wiser and clever because they do not throw out their year old white goods after using one or more years. In the old days, we deposed TV, Video Cassette player, Stereo and other electronic white goods at New Year and buy newer model with bonus in New Year. The young generation employees were not received bonus as much as the predecessors. Also the Japanese young generation is more caution about using money than their parents.  So Company like Sony, Panasonic, Sanyo, Toshiba and Sharp has lost domestic market. Labor shortage can be sorting out by issuing tourist visa in designated countries or importing labors via international workers recrutment agency. most of International workers recruitment Agencies are running by greedy and dirty peoples. Peoples have to pay a year salary to agent for to come to Japan.

szero25:

There are endless meetings where people simply read out information that people already have in front of them

Those are the worst, and they are always read out in a monotonic drone. I like to take lengthy visits to the toilet at that point. Even so, sometimes I come back and the same guy is still ploughing on through the same document, the one we were all sent beforehand.

Worker shortage? Pay more, you morons! = No worker shortage.