Top court accepts wage gap between rehired seniors, regular workers

It’s a job seekers market so just renegotiate the contract at a decent rate....

There are some position that will pay more for people who already pass retirement age because their specific skills, network etc. But most of job in staff level won’t need this. 

Another disadvantage for old people even they are look healthy outside they becoming slower both physically and mentally. They’ll start getting muscle atrophy, cognitively they become less aware what they missed in their task. Most of people wound’t notice this unless they becoming side to side with them.

Of course there are some cases some old people they are still in good condition but most of them get performance decline.

@kurisupisu, yes at the end it’s all about job market.

It's just another ruling giving more power to employers and putting more pressure on employees. Japanese labor reform in action.

If there truely is a "labor shortage," then why are Japanese employers in the habit of firing all their workers, at age 65, who want to continue working full time? Just keep 'em on, you dummies.

OK then politicians over 60 should also take pay cuts if they wont to continue to work , fair is fair

It's just another ruling giving more power to employers and putting more pressure on employees. Japanese labor reform in action. add to that the extra 500,000 part time minimum wage import gaijin laborers there wont be any full time jobs available in Japan in the 10yrs, itll all be part time contract workers.

I have to agree with WTFJapan – politicians should have to follow the rules they make for everyone else. After all, if someone over 60 has diminished physical and mental abilities, as stated by sakurasuki, imagine Aso at 77 - he must be a doddering old fool by now... oh, wait.

No one should judge senior people without knowing them. And wisdom is acquired through time, bear that in mind.

Outisde this point, after long time of reflexion, I realize this situation is just happening because Japanese are sheep like : they can't even consider leaving their employer for another. Remember Edo times with Daimyo and peasants, ronin cannot be shining stars.

it is "socially accepted" to offer lower wages after retirement

regular employees are usually hired until their retirement age

And who decided this ‘retirement’ age? The worker? The employer?

Or someone else like “the government”?

And how should it be decided?

Abe is doing nothing useful to fix what is broken with Japan’s system, with seemingly the government responsible for creating some of the problems itself.

Japanese are sheep like : they can't even consider leaving their employer for another. 

Very true of most. it may be mostly due to Japan’s group oriented culture, but I believe this is further reinforced by Japan’s labour market rules.

why are Japanese employers in the habit of firing all their workers, at age 65, who want to continue working full time? Just keep 'em on, you dummies.

I largely agree with you, JeffLee, but the problem is the employers probably want to be able to pick and choose.

But this is actually true for workers of any age.

To lay off a worker who isn’t a good match in Japan is “rather difficult”.

The whole system of rules need to be reworked IMO. For one thing, the government imposed double tiered system should be the first thing to go.

A job should not be for life. It should be for as long as it is a mutually agreeable arrangement between worker and employer.

Keep both sides on their toes, not only one or the other. If this were standard for all workers and all employees the playing field would be leveled.

While the work arrangement does continue, the employer might be obliged to the worker’s individual pension fund, etc, in addition to wages.

Make it standard for everyone, no different sets of rules.

This would take the burden of the shrinking aging pension workforce off of future generations, make each generation pay for its own pensions and welfare, by saving in advance.

The problem with Japan’s current system is that the employers get the short straw with protected regular employees who are in a sense social welfare recipients if they can’t be bothered to work, while the non-regular workers are the collateral damage, a second class of worker seemingly created to compensate companies for the horrid situation with regular workers.

Winners and Losers as a result.

This is exactly the wrong thing for a government to be doing.

Rather the overhaul the rules and level the playing field, all Abe has done is tinker around the edges of it.

We need a system that is fair to everyone who is putting in a good days work, both employees and employers. An end to the distortions that create winners and losers.

Are not hose that have 300 months and over eligible to collect their kokuminnenkin and kyosainenkin and still continue working? Could this be the reason why the wages are dropped after age 60?

I am still confused about the politicians however.

Fire the regular workers on some trumped up charge, especially the school leavers, and hire retired experienced people who need no training and can perform straight away and best of all at a fraction of what the regular workers cost.

That's what has just been decided as allowable by the Law makers here.

Truck drivers regardless are skilled at what they do. They deserve the same pay. I sure wouldn't want to drive a truck in Japan.

The future meaning of "Retirement", will be when you hit the cold slab in the mortuary.