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Skilled workers, low-wage earners work second jobs more than others in Japan

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but many companies still hesitate to permit their employees to do so due to concerns such as potential information leaks and excess workloads.

In Japan still many companies have psyche for an employee to work until their retirement. So companies just own their productive life.

-13 ( +9 / -22 )

I think this article is misrepresenting the information. Yes, people earning over 10 million have second jobs because they are cushy easy earned money because of their status as company president or whatever. They are not doing it because they need the money, they just want it. On the other hand the people earning 3 million or less are just trying to survive, so they are forced to work multiple jobs.

11 ( +17 / -6 )

Larr FlintToday  06:37 am JST

I feel sorry for those fresh foreigners coming to Japan and making 200 000 yen or less per month.

I suspect that they get paid so little because employers assume they are single and not planning to stay in Japan for much more than a year.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

6.25 percent of people earning less than 3 million yen per year in their regular jobs worked second jobs in 2022. 

3 million is way too low if you are the sole earner in your household. But 6.25% isn't so large, is it? Maybe the same in any country?

10 ( +13 / -3 )

If i had the time, id work a side job job. Main job just doesnt allow for that dort of thing though. Holding out for that 4 day week.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Typical japan ,encourage people to work more ,what is wrong with this place .Japan needs to wake up and abolish slavery and the work ethic that they stick to so rigidly

2 ( +19 / -17 )

Right, consider this, folks making money, probably have more time and (dadum!) money to invest themselves in other jobs. I hardly believe that they are working at McDonald's for their "side job". Maybe owning one perhaps.

Also, those who are making the least NEED the side jobs to survive!

The middle class are just too damn dead tired from their daily grind to even think about a side job!

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

This is misleading, you are only allowed to work depending on your working visa status. And some company don't allowed their employee to work part time.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Interesting part about the high-skilled workers but I guess that people that can heavily capitalize on their capabilities may not be happy with a single job if they have the chance to get quite a lot extra income, specially in a culture that puts so much emphasis on working as much as you can.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

This is misleading, you are only allowed to work depending on your working visa status. And some company don't allowed their employee to work part time.

You can under same visa category, and also apply for part time permission with immigration. Need to check for each situation but it's possible.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

This is misleading, you are only allowed to work depending on your working visa status. And some company don't allowed their employee to work part time.

I think it goes without saying that Japanese people, who form the vast majority of the workforce surveyed in the article, don’t need visas to work in Japan.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

many companies still hesitate to permit their employees to do so due to concerns such as potential information leaks and excess workloads.

Not true. Working a second job means the employee is less dependent on his main job and does not need to work long hours and on weekends to earn a few extra peanuts. He would be more inclined to leave early and earn extra money working from the comfort of his home. Japanese companies do not like that. It is okay if you and your family starve as long as they keep you on a tight leash and not let you try the taste of freedom.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Chicken and egg thing...too busy and too tired to take on a 2nd gig...need a 2nd gig, but too tired and busy to even look for one...a friend makes over 9m in HR and works at a restaurant evenings and weekends to be able to afford an apartment...in Saitama....

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Among low-income workers, there are those "who have no choice but to take on multiple part-time jobs due to the financial challenges they face," he said.

Thanks Abenomics and New Capitalism!

This is a feature, not a bug for the LDP/Japan Inc. combine and their neo-feudal agenda .

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/yasahina/files/precarious_regular_workers_in_japan.pdf

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

Japan is a G7 country in name only.

Wages are so low here, it would be laughable if it weren't so sad.

-11 ( +14 / -25 )

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government has encouraged people to take on second jobs to help address the chronic labor shortage in the rapidly graying country

Kishida-san, do you want people to work more or make babies? Can't have both, choose one.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Don’t waste your precious life in Japan working two jobs for a dead end paychecks for

-9 ( +9 / -18 )

I told you guys, especially if you live in Tokyo you need to make at least 550 000 yen per month just to survive.

where the hell did you get that number?

Tokyo have incredibly cheap cost of living if you are not living in dead center of the city. Even at 200,000 you can at minimum afford your own place and dont need to room share.

2 ( +10 / -8 )

Japan is a G7 country in name only.

Wages are so low here, it would be laughable if it weren't so sad.

THIS!

-14 ( +10 / -24 )

That either balances out or it also leads to faster shrinking and downturn. People with more side jobs, freely or forced, will need more health care and get sick or die earlier, which means they can't buy so more on average as before even having that side job, which also means less consumption and profits for all businesses. Look, in sum nothing changes, the problems are only split or distributed into other society sectors.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

In my experience high income earners would have to take this second job on the sly because every firm or company that I have worked at in Japan forbids second jobs.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Even at 200,000 you can at minimum afford your own place and dont need to room share.

You are going to have to break down a budget including taxes to justify this. Even small apartments outside Tokyo start at 60,000 yen.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

You are going to have to break down a budget including taxes to justify this. Even small apartments outside Tokyo start at 60,000 yen.

Plenty of people are able to live in their own place at that income level. Since transportation is covered, there are typically no other major expenses. Furthermore, when you have a 200,000 monthly, it means you are also receiving summer and winter bonus as well.

550,000 needed for Tokyo is outrageous.

On the other hand if you work in NY or London etc. even if you make 150k~200k usd, you are likely still needing roommates, because rents are 3k+ and you have to cover your own transportation etc.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Of all workers, 4.61 percent had side jobs.,

Which means 95% of the workers did not have a side job. The vast majority.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

So vast majority hmmm why this even newsworthy

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

**Chabbawanga: **Holding out for that 4 day week.

I don't think this will ever happen in our lifespans.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Like others said the higher earners are doing side hustles just because they want more money not cause they need it. A lot of the IT field people I know do side gig or contract projects/support for various overseas companies since more so than Japan they are happy to have a WFH type as long as the work gets done by the deadlines.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I feel sorry for those fresh foreigners coming to Japan and making 200 000 yen or less per month.

Not much for Tokyo. You can be ok with 250 000 to 300 000. Overall though it is low because you are just living but not much money left to save. So you can't really build a future on it. Putting money away for retirement, investing money saved etc. You've got to do that. The pension payments are not enough.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The obvious takeaway here is that wages are high enough for workers with certain skills for them want to work more. If you are a programmer and can get effectively 10,000 yen an hour, that's plenty of motivation to take on extra work.

The second jobs available to most folks are 1000 yen an hour or so, meaning it is not worth their while. Unless they really want money or are desparate for every single yen.

The article throws out 10 million yen a year as some meaningful number, but that's a very small fraction of the workforce, and a tiny fraction of people outside Kanto. Outside Kanto will be 1 in 15 or fewer. Many doctors even won't make that much.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

You call someone who makes 10 million yen a year middle class?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I often wonder when reading stories like this, how many government ministers, officials, and their hangers on have to work part time jobs. Anyone want to guess?.......Zero.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

It's a vicious circle.

The cost of raising a family, old folk objecting to child care centers opening near where they live and working long hours have broken the confidence of the young to settle down. This is resulting in a crashing birth rate, less available labor, and then more hours work for those left.

It's a like being in a slow car crash.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Even at 200,000 you can at minimum afford your own place and dont need to room share.

Errrmmmm no .

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Let's face it Japan is being regulated to the poor man of Asia division.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Find a partner or spouse and cut your housing expenses in half.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Find a partner or spouse and cut your housing expenses in half.

Except if it results in children

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Are we surprised by this?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Hmm I live in Tokyo 3 stations away from Shinjuku. I make about 230000 a month but this is recent I was making even less before. But i was able to still able to find my own apartment with a loft and afford my rent and other expenses. Although if I want to have fun or eat out it gets really tight towards the end of the month.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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